| 释义 |
‖ diminuendo Mus.|diminuˈendo, dɪˌmɪnjʊˈɛndəʊ|
[It. diminuendo lessening, diminishing, pr. pple. of diminuire to diminish: see prec.]
A musical direction indicating a gradual decrease in force or loudness of tone (abbrev. dim., dimin.); as n. a gradual decrease in force of tone, or a passage where this occurs. Also transf. and fig. (Opp. to crescendo n.) Also attrib. or as adj.
1775‘J. Collier’ Mus. Trav. (ed. 3) 65, I stood still some time to observe the diminuendo and crescendo. 1789–1826 [see crescendo n.]. 1870M. Bridgman Ro. Lynne II. iii. 70 ‘Ah!’ this from Dicky Blake, diminuendo. 1890W. James Princ. Psychol. II. xviii. 71 Certain violin-players take advantage of this in diminuendo terminations. 1891Daily News 26 Oct. 3/3 A similar trimming..on a smaller scale, edged..the bodice, and was repeated in a further diminuendo round the neck. 1937A. Huxley Let. 15 Dec. (1969) 429 Pardon this diminuendo, due to my not noticing that the ribbon had to change its direction! 1955Times 9 May 3/4 There were ‘expressive’ ritenutos and diminuendos and protracted cadences. Ibid. 26 May 11/6 Labour's promise to do away with the 11 plus examination for selective secondary education was another scheme that suffered a diminuendo. 1958A. J. Toynbee East to West xiii. 38 En route one changes, diminuendo, from South Austalian broad gauge to Commonwealth standard gauge. 1959Encounter Aug. 34/1 He was looking a bit diminuendo, and smiled rather nervously.
Hence as v. intr., to become quieter or fainter; to grow less.
1901Westm. Gaz. 12 Nov. 2/1 Their booming note crescendoes up the scale with increasing speed and diminuendoes with the slackening of it. 1905Daily Chron. 27 Oct. 6/4 The wail of Niobe diminuendoes in the receding distance. 1962Guardian 19 Oct. 11/7 He began to howl and diminuendoed down to a mutter. |