tune English · revision 6771

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=derivation|attested=before 1325}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /tʃuːn/, /tjuːn/ ''(UK)''; /tuːn/, /tjuːn/ ''(US)''^(Wiktionary)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is Middle English tune, an unexplained variant of [[tone]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A musical sound or tone: before 1325 in Barnhart,^(Barnhart 1988) the early 14th century in Etymonline.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A succession of musical tones, an air or melody, now the chief meaning, is first recorded before 1387 in Trevisa's translation of Higden's ''Polychronicon''.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) Agreement in pitch, chiefly in the phrases ''in tune'' and ''out of tune'', is from about 1440,^(Barnhart 1988) replacing earlier ''in tone'';^(Etymonline) the figurative sense, harmony or agreement, is from 1535.^(Barnhart 1988) ''To the tune of'', to the amount of, is from 1716.^(Barnhart 1988) The verb meant first to give out a musical sound, about 1500, and to put into correct pitch from 1505;^(Barnhart 1988) figuratively, to put in proper condition, from the 1520s, and to adjust a machine from 1814.^(Etymonline) To tune a radio receiver is by 1887, ''tune in'' from 1913, and ''tune out'', to stop paying attention, from 1928.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * before 1325 – a musical sound.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1387 – a melody.^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1440 – in tune.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1505 – to put in pitch.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1716 – to the tune of.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1913 – tune in.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A [[melody]], especially a simple and memorable one; a song.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Correct musical [[pitch]]: ''in tune''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Agreement or [[harmony]]: ''in tune with the times''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To adjust a musical instrument to the correct pitch.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To adjust an engine or machine for best performance.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To adjust a [[receiver]] to a particular [[frequency]] or station.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[mistune]]

+ * [[retune]]

+ * [[tunable]]

+ * [[tuneable]]

+ * [[untune]]

+ * [[tuneful]]

+ * [[tuneless]]

+ * [[tunesmith]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[tone]]

+ * [[attune]]

+ * [[tuner]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}