overture

• POS: Noun, Verb (transitive)
• HYPHEN: o=ver=ture

CIDE DICTIONARY

overture,  [OF. overture, F. ouverture, fr. OF. ovrir, F. ouvrir. See Overt.].

•  An opening or aperture; a recess; a chamber.  Chapman.  [1913 Webster]
•  Disclosure; discovery; revelation.  [1913 Webster]

  "It was he
  That made the overture of thy treasons to us."  [1913 Webster]
•  A proposal; an offer; a proposition formally submitted for consideration, acceptance, or rejection.  Barrow.  [1913 Webster]
•  A composition, for a full orchestra, designed as an introduction to an oratorio, opera, or ballet, or as an independent piece; -- called in the latter case a concert overture.  [1913 Webster]

overture, v. t. 

 To make an overture to; as, to overture a religious body on some subject.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

overture, n.
1 an orchestral piece opening an opera etc.
2 a one-movement composition in this style.
3 (usu. in pl.) a an opening of negotiations. b a formal proposal or offer (esp. make overtures to).
4 the beginning of a poem etc.

Etymology

ME f. OF f. L apertura APERTURE

THESAURUS

overture

Vorspiel, advance, approach, asking price, avant-propos, bid, breakthrough, concert overture, curtain raiser, descant, dramatic overture, exordium, feeler, foreword, front matter, frontispiece, innovation, introduction, invitation, leap, offer, offering, operatic overture, overtures, postulate, preamble, preface, prefix, prefixture, preliminary, preliminary approach, prelude, premise, presentation, presupposition, proem, proffer, prolegomena, prolegomenon, prolepsis, prologue, proposal, proposition, protasis, submission, tender, tentative approach, vamp, verse, voluntary

ROGET THESAURUS

overture

Precursor

N precursor, antecedent, precedent, predecessor, forerunner, vancourier, avant-coureur, pioneer, prodrome, prodromos, prodromus, outrider, leader, bellwether, herald, harbinger, foreboding, dawn, avant-courier, avant-garde, bellmare, forelooper, foreloper, stalking-horse, voorlooper, voortrekker, prelude, preamble, preface, prologue, foreword, avant-propos, protasis, proemium, prolusion, proem, prolepsis, prolegomena, prefix, introduction, heading, frontispiece, groundwork, preparation, overture, exordium, symphony, premises, prefigurement, omen, precursory, prelusive, prelusory, preludious, proemial, introductory, prefatory, prodromous, inaugural, preliminary, precedent, a precedent embalms a principle.

Offer

N offer, proffer, presentation, tender, bid, overture, proposal, proposition, motion, invitation, candidature, offering, offering, offered, in the market, for sale, to let, disengaged, on hire.

Request

N request, requisition, claim, petition, suit, prayer, begging letter, round robin, motion, overture, application, canvass, address, appeal, apostrophe, imprecation, rogation, proposal, proposition, orison, incantation, mendicancy, asking, begging, postulation, solicitation, invitation, entreaty, importunity, supplication, instance, impetration, imploration, obsecration, obtestation, invocation, interpellation, requesting, precatory, suppliant, supplicant, supplicatory, postulant, obsecratory, importunate, clamorous, urgent, cap in hand, on one's knees, on one's bended knees, on one's marrowbones, prithee, do, please, pray, be so good as, be good enough, have the goodness, vouchsafe, will you, I pray thee, if you please, Int, for God's sake!, for heaven's sake!, for goodness' sake!, for mercy's sake!, Dieu vous garde, dirigenos Domine, would you be so kind as to.

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.