crescendo Definition
cre·scendo (kri s̸hen′dō′)
adjective, adverb
with a gradual increase in loudness: often used as a musical direction, indicated by the sign
Etymology: It, ger. of crescere: see crescent
noun pl. -·dos′
- Music
- a gradual increase in loudness
- a crescendo passage
- any gradual increase in force, intensity, etc.
intransitive verb -·doed′, -·do′·ing
to increase gradually in loudness or intensity
crescendo Usage Examples
Converse of object
- reach: The Ripper was, by now, reaching a crescendo of violence.
- rise: Rising crescendo Milligan: ( vicar ) It started in Brighton - 1898 - the year of the great Edison Bell.
- build: I'd got to the point where I'd got a 20-minute, 40-minute, hour-long set that built crescendo and got laughs.
- create: The writer makes the reader wait for this, the relative clauses in commas ( analyzed above ) creating a crescendo.
- deafen: A banner rolls down an office block and the cheering reaches a deafening crescendo.
- become: The page of history becomes a long crescendo of battle.
Preposition: at
end: Emerson continues to add a variety of keyboard sounds until the crescendo at the end.
Adjective modifier
- orchestral: Most importantly, that is achieved without saccharine orchestral crescendos or larger-than-life displays of emotion.
- gradual: This gives way to a quieter passage but which leads to the most thrilling gradual crescendo.
- dramatic: Being an Italian opera, the work was imbued with great passion, each act rising to a dramatic crescendo.
- final: That is, until the final crescendo, which ties up all the loose ends of the earlier exploits.
- great: A roar rose like in a great crescendo from the crowd.
- emotional: Its ending, as ambulancewoman Kay discovers the fate of her lover Helen, is my personal emotional crescendo.
Modifies a noun
- pain: Few injuries show crescendo pain apart from a stress fracture.
- effect: The crescendo effect was simply amazing and the crowd loved it.
Noun used with modifier
- guitar: It sounded fantastic and came to an end with a thrashing guitar crescendo.
- cymbal: Vincent rides cymbal crescendos and pensive pattering to equally tingling ends, his restrained electronic gurgles providing ambiguous accents.
Preposition: of
Browse dictionary entries near crescendo
- ‹ crepuscule
- ‹ crepuscular
- ‹ crept
- ‹ crepitate
- ‹ crepey
- ‹ crepe rubber
- ‹ crepe paper
- ‹ crepe de Chine
- ‹ crepe
- ‹ creosote bush

