| 释义 |
ten·or
I. \ˈtenə(r)\ noun
(-s)
Etymology: Middle English tenour, tenor, from Old French, from Latin tenor, act of holding on, uninterrupted course, from tenēre to hold — more at thin
1.
a. : the course of thought that is held to through a discourse, speech, or piece of writing : the general drift of something spoken or written : intent, purport, substance
< the tenor of the book is expressed in the introduction — J.B.Griffin >
b. : an exact copy of a writing set forth in the words and figures of it : transcript
c. : the concept, object, or person meant in a metaphor : the latent aspect of a metaphorical statement — compare vehicle 2b
2.
a.
(1) : a melodic line that usually forms the cantus firmus in medieval polyphony
(2) : the voice part next to the lowest in four-part harmony
b. : the highest natural adult male voice
c. : a person who sings the tenor part or an instrument that plays it
d. : the main reciting note in plainsong psalmody
e. : the lowest of a set of church bells used in change ringing
3. : a continuance in a course, movement, or activity : procedure, trend
< kept the noiseless tenor of their way — Thomas Gray >
< earth and sun will continue the even tenor of their ways for an inconceivably long period — K.F.Mather >
4. : habitual condition : character, nature, stamp
< this success would look like chance, if it were not perpetual, and always of the same tenor — John Dryden >
5. : the time between the date of issue or acceptance of a note or draft and the maturity date — compare usance
6. : the percentage or average amount of metal or mineral in an ore
Synonyms: see tendency
II. adjective
: of or relating to the tenor or the tenor part in music
< tenor singer >
< tenor quality > |