music

mu‧sic S1 W1 /ˈmjuːzɪk/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable]
[Word Family: noun: music, musical, musician, musicianship, musicology, musicologist; adjective: musical, unmusical; adverb: musically]
[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Old French; Origin: musique, from Latin, from Greek mousike 'art of the Muses', from Mousa; ⇨ muse²]
1. a series of sounds made by instruments or voices in a way that is pleasant or exciting:
I often listen to classical music when I’m in the car.
A new piece of music was specially written for the occasion.
2. the art of writing or playing music:
Peter’s studying music at college.
music lessons
music business/industry etc
a career in the music business
3. a set of written marks representing music, or paper with the written marks on it:
I left my music at home.
McCartney never learned to read music. ⇨ ↑sheet music
4. be music to your ears if someone’s words are music to your ears, they make you very happy or pleased
5. set/put something to music to write music so that the words of a poem, play etc can be sung
⇨ face the music at face²(7)
• • •
COLLOCATIONS
■ verbs
▪ listen to music Ella was listening to music on her iPod.
▪ play music A small band was playing jazz music.
▪ write/compose music He composed the music for the 'Lord of the Rings' films.
▪ make music (=play or compose music) We began making music together about five years ago.
■ ADJECTIVES/NOUN + music
▪ loud/soft/quiet They were kept awake by loud music from next door.
▪ pop/rock/classical etc music Johnny Cash was one of country music’s greatest stars.
▪ live music (=played by musicians on stage) Most of the bars have live music.
▪ recorded music Live music can sound very different from recorded music.
▪ background music (=that you hear but do not listen to) the soft background music in the restaurant
▪ choral music (=sung by choirs) We perform a wide variety of choral music.
▪ instrumental music (=with no singing) a programme of instrumental music
▪ chamber music (=classical music played by a small group of musicians) a performance of Schumann’s chamber music
▪ orchestral music (=classical music played by a large group of musicians) He has a large CD collection, mostly orchestral music.
▪ piano/organ music I love listening to piano music.
■ music + NOUN
▪ a music lover Her recordings delighted music lovers.
■ phrases
▪ a piece of music It’s a beautiful piece of music.
■ COMMON ERRORS
► Do not say 'classic music'. Say classical music.
• • •
THESAURUS
▪ music the sounds made by musical instruments or people singing: The music was really loud.
▪ tune the main series of musical notes in a piece of music: a folk song with a pretty tune
▪ melody the main series of notes in a piece of music that has many notes being played at the same time, especially in classical music: The soprano sang the melody.
▪ harmony the chords or notes in a piece of music that support the melody: the rich harmonies in the symphony
▪ piece (also piece of music) an arrangement of musical notes – use this about music without words: It’s a difficult piece to play.
▪ composition formal a piece of music that someone has written: This is one of his own compositions.
▪ work a piece of music, especially classical music: one of Mozart’s best-known works
▪ track one of the songs or pieces of music on a CD: the album’s title track
▪ number a piece of popular music that forms part of a concert or show: the show’s first number

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

music [music musics] [ˈmjuːzɪk] [ˈmjuːzɪk] noun
uncountable
1. sounds that are arranged in a way that is pleasant or exciting to listen to. People sing music or play it on instruments
• pop/dance/classical/church music
• to listen to music
• She could hear music playing somewhere.
• It was a charming piece of music.
• the popularity of Mozart's music
• He wrote the music but I don't know who wrote the words.
• The poem has been set to music.
• Every week they get together to make music (= to play music or sing).

see also chamber music, country music, rock music, soul music

2. the art of writing or playing music
• to study music
• a career in music
• music lessons

• the music business/industry

3. the written or printed signs that represent the sounds to be played or sung in a piece of music
• Can you read music (= understand the signs in order to play or sing a piece of music)?
• I had to play it without the music.
• The music was still open on the piano (= the paper or book with the musical notes on it).
see also sheet music
more at face the music at face _v.
Idiom: music to your ears
Word Origin:
Middle English: from Old French musique, via Latin from Greek mousikē (tekhnē) ‘(art) of the Muses’, from mousa ‘muse’.
Thesaurus:
music noun U
• pop/dance/classical music
singing • • song • • melody • • harmony •
(a) beautiful music/singing/songharmony/melody
listen to/hear music/singing/a song/the melody/the harmony
Collocations:
Music
Listening
listen to/enjoy/love/be into music/classical music/jazz/pop/hip-hop, etc.
listen to the radio/an MP3 player/a CD
put on/play a CD/a song/some music
turn down/up the music/radio/volume/bass
go to a concert/festival/gig/performance/recital
copy/burn/rip music/a CD/a DVD
download music/an album/a song/a demo/a video
Playing
play a musical instrument/the piano/percussion/a note/a riff/the melody/a concerto/a duet/by ear
sing an anthem/a ballad/a solo/an aria/the blues/in a choir/soprano/alto/tenor/bass/out of tune
hum a tune/a theme tune/a lullaby
accompany a singer/choir
strum a chord/guitar
Performing
form/start/get together/join/quit/leave a band
give a performance/concert/recital
do a concert/recital/gig
play a concert/gig/festival/venue
perform (BrE) at/in a concert/(especially NAmE) a concert
appear at a festival/live
go on/embark on a (world) tour
Recording
write/compose music/a ballad/a melody/a tune/a song/a theme song/an opera/a symphony
land/get/sign a record deal
be signed to/be dropped by a record company
record/release/put out an album/a single/a CD
be top of/top the charts
get to/go straight to/go straight in at/enter the charts at number one
Example Bank:
• Birmingham's live music scene
• Calypso music played faintly in the distance.
• Can you read music?
• Could you turn that music down?
• He got into music by chance.
• He made up the words and music for the song.
• He played the piece without music.
• Heavy music thundered from the basement.
• Her taste in music was eclectic.
• I pulled the lyrics out and laid them on the music stand.
• I use my laptop to burn music to a CD.
• Listening to music is a great way to relax.
• Music filled the air.
• Put some music on, would you?
• Put your music on the music stand.
• Schubert set several poems by Goethe to music.
• She could hear loud music from the party upstairs.
• She is a rising star in the music world.
• She's really into indie music.
• The ability to appreciate music is largely learnt.
• The album has been praised in the music press.
• The band are number one in the music charts.
• The city has produced a lot of good music.
• The movie uses appropriate period music.
• The music sounded vibrant and loud.
• The music was coming from next door.
• The soft background music made her feel sleepy.
• The sound of pop music drifted through the open window.
• They did their exercises in time to the music.
• We bought a new television and music centre at the weekend.
• We love to make music as a family.
• With the guidance of the conductor, an orchestra creates music and harmonies.
• a beach party with music provided by a local band
• an evening of Scottish music and song
• bars and nightclubs blaring music late into the night
• disco music blaring out of the open windows of a car
• music for piano, cello and voice
• music legend, Elvis Presley
• software that rips music from CDs
• the choir's music director
• the incidental music for a radio play
• the music emerging from the cities of America
• the music which accompanied the dance
• to dance to the music
• Every week they get together to make music.
• He wrote the music but I don't know who wrote the words.
• It was a charming piece of music.
• Many people believe that listening to Mozart's music can improve memory and learning.
• People often choose to listen to music that suits their moods and activities.
• The poem has been set to music.

• pop/dance/classical/church music

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary - 4th Edition

music / ˈmjuː.zɪk / noun [ U ]

A1 a pattern of sounds made by musical instruments, voices, or computers, or a combination of these, intended to give pleasure to people listening to it:

classical/pop/dance/rock music

a beautiful piece of music

What sort of music do you listen to?

They play good music on this (radio) station.

I just like making music (= playing an instrument or singing) .

Shall I put on some music (= play a recording) ?

the art or study of music:

I studied music at college.

the music business/industry

music lessons

the written system of symbols representing musical notes:

Can you read music?

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

[mju͟ːzɪk]
♦
1) N-UNCOUNT Music is the pattern of sounds produced by people singing or playing instruments.
  ...classical music.
  ...the music of George Gershwin.
  ...a mixture of music, dance, cabaret and children's theatre.
  ...a music critic for the New York Times.
2) N-UNCOUNT Music is the art of creating or performing music.
  He went on to study music, specialising in the clarinet.
  ...a music lesson.
3) N-UNCOUNT Music is the symbols written on paper which represent musical sounds.
→ See also sheet music
  He's never been able to read music.
4) PHRASE: v-link PHR (feelings) If something that you hear is music to your ears, it makes you feel very happy.
  Popular support - it's music to the ears of any politician.
5) PHRASE: V inflects If you face the music, you put yourself in a position where you will be criticized or punished for something you have done.
  Sooner or later, I'm going to have to face the music.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

music

mu·sic /ˈmjuːzɪk/ noun [noncount]
1 : sounds that are sung by voices or played on musical instruments
• listening to live/recorded music
• This is one of my favorite pieces of music.
• performing music in front of an audience
• dancing to the music of a big band
• They are writing/composing music for a new album.
• a song with music by George Gershwin and words/lyrics by Ira Gershwin
• classical/popular music
• They like to make music [=play or sing music] with friends.
• The play/poem was set to music. [=music was written to go with the words of the play/poem]
• background music [=music played while something else is happening]
- often used before another noun
• the music industry
• a music video [=a video recording of a performance of popular music]
- see also chamber music, country music, folk music, soul music
2 : written or printed symbols showing how music should be played or sung
• He is learning to read music.
• a music stand [=a holder on which printed music is placed so that a musician can see it while playing or singing]
- see also sheet music
3 : the art or skill of creating or performing music
• She studied music in college.
• music theory
4 : a pleasant sound
• the music of a brook
• Her words were music to my ears. [=I was very happy to hear what she said]
face the music