medley Hear it!

medley Definition

med·ley (med′lē)

noun pl. -·leys

  1. a mixture of things not usually placed together; heterogeneous collection; hodgepodge
  2. a musical piece made up of tunes or passages from various works
  3. Archaic melee

Etymology: ME medle < OFr medlee, a mixing < fem. pp. of medler: see meddle

adjective

Archaic made up of heterogeneous parts

medley Synonyms

medley

n.

  1. A mixture

    mingling, melee, conglomeration; see mixture 1, variety 1.

  2. A musical piece made up of various tunes

    assortment, potpourri, miscellany, pasticcio (Italian), pastiche; see also composition 4, music 1.

medley Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • tune: Each theme, or reel, featured a medley of tunes conveying various moods.
  • song: Then came a wonderful medley of songs from Grease, which had been arranged by Miss Andrews herself.
  • vegetable: Serve with a jacket potato and a medley of winter vegetables.
  • music: The film will be screened with a live piano accompaniment of a medley of music originally recommended for the film in 1916.
  • style: Their replacements are not distinguished, as Pevsner has pointed out, and have 'a peculiar medley of styles ' .

Converse of object

  • sing: The children entertained some of the other children by playing the recorder and singing a medley of the Bardâs work.
  • perform: They will even perform a Scottish medley to get any party in full swing.
  • play: Still messing with the set, I think we played the new medley, which was nice.
  • feature: Each theme, or reel, featured a medley of tunes conveying various moods.
  • include: Tommy still includes a similar instrumental medley in the stage act.

Adjective modifier

  • 200m: Dodd is a relay swimmer, while Windsor competed in the 200m individual medley.
  • 400m: Breaking into British waters, he took the British Youth Champion title in the 400m individual medley this year.
  • 100m: Two weeks ago in Swansea he won the over - 40s national title for the 100m individual medley.
  • instrumental: Tommy still includes a similar instrumental medley in the stage act.
  • individual: Swim 4 x 50 meters individual medley within 5 minutes.

Modifies a noun

  • relay: Britain is also well represented in the medley relays which round off the evening.
  • team: The boys are joined in the medals by the 10 year old girls ' medley team.
  • event: Adi Turner was Britain's sole individual medallist in the medley events, taking gold in the 200m.

Noun used with modifier

  • vegetable: The vegetable medley is six steamed green beans, six baby sweet corn and 12 baby carrots.
  • minute: Most Outstanding Contribution went to Duran Duran who then went onto remind us of all their classic hits in their 10 minute medley.