descant

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive)
• HYPHEN: des=cant

OXFORD DICTIONARY

descant, n. & v.
--n.
1 Mus. an independent treble melody usu. sung or played above a basic melody, esp. of a hymn tune.
2 poet. a melody; a song.
--v.intr.
1 (foll. by on, upon) talk lengthily and prosily, esp. in praise of.
2 Mus. sing or play a descant.

Idiom

descant recorder the most common size of recorder, with a range of two octaves.

Etymology

ME f. OF deschant f. med.L discantus (as DIS-, cantus song, CHANT)

THESAURUS

descant

Nachtmusik, Vorspiel, absolute music, accompaniment, adaptation, air, air varie, aleatory, aleatory music, alto, amplify, anthem, aria, arrangement, article, ballad, baritone, bass, basso continuo, basso ostinato, bassus, canto, cantus, cantus figuratus, cantus planus, carol, causerie, chamber music, chamber orchestra, chant, chirp, chirrup, choir, chorus, comment upon, composition, concert overture, continuo, contralto, criticize, croon, curtain raiser, deal with, detail, develop, diapason, dilate, discourse, discuss, discussion, disquisition, dissert, dissertate, dissertation, ditty, do-re-mi, dramatic overture, drone, elaborate, electronic music, enlarge, enlarge upon, essay, etude, evolve, examination, excursus, exercise, expand, expatiate, explicate, exposition, feature, figured bass, first approach, go into, ground bass, handle, harmonization, homily, hum, hymn, incidental music, inquire into, instrumental music, intonate, intone, introduction, introductory study, invention, lay, lied, lilt, line, lucubration, measure, melodia, melodic line, melody, memoir, minstrel, monograph, morceau, nocturne, note, operatic overture, opus, orchestration, outline, overture, pandect, paper, paragraph, part, particularize, piece, pipe, plain chant, plain song, preliminary study, prelude, prick song, production, program music, prolegomenon, psalm, quaver, refrain, rehearse in extenso, relate at large, remark upon, research paper, review, ricercar, roulade, score, screed, serenade, sermonize, shake, sing, sing in chorus, sketch, sol-fa, solmizate, solo, solo part, sonata, sonatina, song, soprano, soprano part, special article, strain, string orchestra, string quartet, study, survey, take up, tenor, term paper, theme, theme and variations, thesis, thorough bass, touch upon, tract, tractate, treat, treat of, treatise, treatment, treble, tremolo, trill, trio, troll, tune, tweedle, tweedledee, twit, twitter, undersong, unfold, vamp, variation, vocalize, voice, voice part, voluntary, warble, whistle, work, work out, write up, yodel

ROGET THESAURUS

descant

Diffuseness

VB be diffuse, run out on, descant, expatiate, enlarge, dilate, amplify, expand, inflate, launch out, branch out, rant, maunder, prose, harp upon, dwell on, insist upon, digress, ramble, battre la campagne, beat about the bush, perorate, spin a long yarn, protract, spin out, swell out, draw out, battologize.

Music

N music, concert, strain, tune, air, melody, aria, arietta, piece of music, work, number, opus, sonata, rondo, rondeau, pastorale, cavatina, roulade, fantasia, concerto, overture, symphony, variations, cadenza, cadence, fugue, canon, quodlibet, serenade, notturno, dithyramb, opera, operetta, oratorio, composition, movement, stave, passamezzo, toccata, Vorspiel, instrumental music, full score, minstrelsy, tweedledum and tweedledee, band, orchestra, concerted piece, potpourri, capriccio, vocal music, vocalism, chaunt, chant, psalm, psalmody, hymn, song, canticle, canzonet, cantata, bravura, lay, ballad, ditty, carol, pastoral, recitative, recitativo, solfeggio, Lydian measures, slow music, slow movement, adagio, minuet, siren strains, soft music, lullaby, dump, dirge, pibroch, martial music, march, dance music, waltz, solo, duet, duo, trio, quartet, quartett, septett, part song, descant, glee, madrigal, catch, round, chorus, chorale, antiphon, antiphony, accompaniment, second, bass, score, bourdon, drone, morceau, terzetto, composer, musician, musical, instrumental, vocal, choral, lyric, operatic, harmonious, Wagnerian, adagio, largo, larghetto, andante, andantino, alla capella, maestoso, moderato, allegro, allegretto, spiritoso, vivace, veloce, presto, prestissimo, con brio, capriccioso, scherzo, scherzando, legato, staccato, crescendo, diminuendo, rallentando, affettuoso, obbligato, pizzicato, desto, in notes by distance made more sweet, like the faint exquisite music of a dream, music arose with its voluptuous swell, music is the universal language of mankind, music's golden tongue, the speech of angels, will sing the savageness out of a bear, music hath charms to soothe the savage beast.