piano

• POS: Adjective, Noun, Adverb
• HYPHEN: pia=no

CIDE DICTIONARY

piano, a. & adv. [It., even, smooth, soft, fr. L. planus even, level.].

 Soft; -- a direction to the performer to execute a certain passage softly, and with diminished volume of tone. (Abbrev. p.)  [1913 Webster]

piano, n. [It. piano soft (fr. L. planus even, smooth; see Plain, a.) + It. forte strong, fr. L. fortis (see Fort).].

 A well-known musical instrument somewhat resembling the harpsichord, and consisting of a series of wires of graduated length, thickness, and tension, struck by hammers moved by keys.  [1913 Webster]

Dumb piano. See Digitorium. -- Grand piano. See under Grand. -- Square piano, one with a horizontal frame and an oblong case. -- Upright piano, one with an upright frame and vertical wires.

OXFORD DICTIONARY

piano, n. (pl. -os) a large musical instrument played by pressing down keys on a keyboard and causing hammers to strike metal strings, the vibration from which is stopped by dampers when the keys are released.

Idiom

piano-accordion an accordion with the melody played on a small vertical keyboard like that of a piano. piano organ a mechanical piano constructed like a barrel-organ. piano-player
1 a pianist.
2 a contrivance for playing a piano automatically.

piano, adj., adv., & n.
--adj.
1 Mus. performed softly.
2 subdued.
--adv.
1 Mus. softly.
2 in a subdued manner.
--n. (pl. -os or piani) Mus. a piano passage .

Etymology

It. f. L planus flat, (of sound) soft

DEVIL DICTIONARY

piano

n. A parlor utensil for subduing the impenitent visitor. It is operated by pressing the keys of the machine and the spirits of the audience.

THESAURUS

piano

Klavier, Steinway, a cappella, a la sourdine, abbandono, accrescendo, adagietto, adagio, affettuoso, agilmente, agitato, allegretto, allegro, amabile, amoroso, andante, andantino, appassionatamente, appassionato, baby grand, barely audible, brillante, capriccioso, cembalo, clarichord, clavicembalo, clavichord, clavicittern, clavicymbal, clavicytherium, clavier, con affetto, con agilita, con agitazione, con amore, concert grand, cottage piano, couched harp, crescendo, decrescendo, dim, diminuendo, dimly, distant, dolce, dulcimer harpsichord, faint, faint-voiced, faintly, feeble, feebly, forte, fortissimo, gentle, gently, grand, grand piano, half-heard, hammer dulcimer, harmonichord, harpsichord, hushedly, indistinct, lamentabile, larghetto, larghissimo, largo, legato, leggiero, low, manichord, manichordon, marcando, melodion, melopiano, monochord, morendo, murmured, pair of virginals, parlando, parlor grand, pianette, pianino, pianissimo, piano-violin, pianoforte, pizzicato, prestissimo, presto, rallentando, ritardando, ritenuto, scarcely heard, scherzando, scherzo, scherzoso, soft, soft-sounding, soft-voiced, softly, sordamente, sordo, sostinente pianoforte, sotto voce, spiccato, spinet, square piano, staccato, stretto, subaudible, subdued, subduedly, tremolando, tremoloso, trillando, unclear, upright, upright piano, violin piano, virginal, weak, weak-voiced, weakly, whispered

ROGET THESAURUS

piano

Moderation

N moderation, lenity, temperateness, gentleness, sobriety, quiet, mental calmness, moderating, anaphrodisia, relaxation, remission, mitigation, tranquilization, assuagement, contemporation, pacification, measure, juste milieu, golden mean, ariston metron, moderator, lullaby, sedative, lenitive, demulcent, antispasmodic, carminative, laudanum, rose water, balm, poppy, opiate, anodyne, milk, opium, poppy or mandragora, wet blanket, palliative, moderate, lenient, gentle, mild, mellow, cool, sober, temperate, reasonable, measured, tempered, calm, unruffled, quiet, tranquil, still, slow, smooth, untroubled, tame, peaceful, peaceable, pacific, halcyon, unexciting, unirritating, soft, bland, oily, demulcent, lenitive, anodyne, hypnotic, sedative, antiorgastic, anaphrodisiac, mild as mother's milk, milk and water, moderately, gingerly, piano, under easy sail, at half speed, within bounds, within compass, in reason, est modue in rebus, pour oil on troubled waters.

Slowness

N slowness, languor, drawl, creeping, lentor, retardation, slackening, delay, claudication, jog trot, dog trot, mincing steps, slow march, slow time, slow goer, slow coach, slow back, lingerer, loiterer, sluggard, tortoise, snail, poke, dawdle, slow, slack, tardy, dilatory, gentle, easy, leisurely, deliberate, gradual, insensible, imperceptible, glacial, languid, sluggish, slow paced, tardigrade, snail-like, creeping, reptatorial, slowly, leisurely, piano, adagio, largo, larghetto, at half speed, under easy sail, at a foots pace, at a snail's pace, at a funeral pace, in slow time, with mincing steps, with clipped wings, haud passibus aequis, gradually, gradatim, by degrees, by slow degrees, by inches, by little and little, step by step, one step at a time, inch by inch, bit by bit, little by little, seriatim, consecutively, dum Roma deliberat Saguntum perit, at a glacial pace.

Faintness

N faintness, faint sound, whisper, breath, undertone, underbreath, murmur, hum, susurration, tinkle, still small voice, hoarseness, raucity, inaudible, scarcely audible, just audible, low, dull, stifled, muffled, hoarse, husky, gentle, soft, faint, floating, purling, flowing, whispered, liquid, soothing, dulcet, susurrant, susurrous, in a whisper, with bated breath, sotto voce, between the teeth, aside, piano, pianissimo, d la sourdine, out of earshot inaudibly, (ii) SPECIFIC SOUNDS.

Musical Instruments

N musical instruments, band, string-band, brass-band, orchestra, orchestrina, monochord, polychord, harp, lyre, lute, archlute, mandola, mandolin, mandoline, guitar, zither, cither, cithern, gittern, rebeck, bandurria, bandura, banjo, bina, vina, xanorphica, viol, violin, fiddle, kit, viola, viola d'amore, viola di gamba, tenor, cremona, violoncello, bass, bass viol, base viol, theorbo, double base, contrabasso, violone, psaltery, bow, fiddlestick, piano, pianoforte, harpsichord, clavichord, clarichord, manichord, clavier, spinet, virginals, dulcimer, hurdy-gurdy, vielle, pianino, Eolian harp, organ, harmonium, harmoniphon, American organ, barrel organ, hand organ, accordion, seraphina, concertina, humming top, flute, fife, piccolo, flageolet, clarinet, claronet, basset horn, corno di bassetto, oboe, hautboy, cor Anglais, corno Inglese, bassoon, double bassoon, contrafagotto, serpent, bass clarinet, bagpipes, union pipes, musette, ocarina, Pandean pipes, reed instrument, sirene, pipe, pitch-pipe, sourdet, whistle, catcall, doodlesack, harmoniphone, horn, bugle, cornet, cornet-a-pistons, cornopean, clarion, trumpet, trombone, ophicleide, French horn, saxophone, sax, buglehorn, saxhorn, flugelhorn, althorn, helicanhorn, posthorn, sackbut, euphonium, bombardon tuba, cymbal, bell, gong, tambour, tambourine, tamborine, drum, tom-tom, tabor, tabret, tabourine, taborin, side drum, kettle drum, timpani, tympani, tymbal, timbrel, castanet, bones, musical glasses, musical stones, harmonica, sounding-board, rattle, tam-tam, zambomba, reed, tuning fork, triangle, Jew's harp, musical box, harmonicon, xylophone, sordine, sordet, sourdine, sourdet, mute, (iv) PERCEPTION OF SOUND.