ACCOMPANIMENT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does accompaniment mean? 

• ACCOMPANIMENT (noun)
  The noun ACCOMPANIMENT has 4 senses:

1. an event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another

2. a musical part (vocal or instrumental) that supports or provides background for other musical parts

3. something added to complete or embellish or make perfect

4. the act of accompanying someone or something in order to protect them

  Familiarity information: ACCOMPANIMENT used as a noun is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• ACCOMPANIMENT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

An event or situation that happens at the same time as or in connection with another

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

accompaniment; attendant; co-occurrence; concomitant

Hypernyms ("accompaniment" is a kind of...):

happening; natural event; occurrence; occurrent (an event that happens)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "accompaniment"):

associate (any event that usually accompanies or is closely connected with another)

background (relatively unimportant or inconspicuous accompanying situation)

Derivation:

accompany (be present or associated with an event or entity)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A musical part (vocal or instrumental) that supports or provides background for other musical parts

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

accompaniment; backup; musical accompaniment; support

Hypernyms ("accompaniment" is a kind of...):

part; voice (the melody carried by a particular voice or instrument in polyphonic music)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "accompaniment"):

descant; discant (a decorative musical accompaniment (often improvised) added above a basic melody)

vamp (an improvised musical accompaniment)

Derivation:

accompany (perform an accompaniment to)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Something added to complete or embellish or make perfect

Classified under:

Nouns denoting attributes of people and objects

Synonyms:

accompaniment; complement

Context example:

wild rice was served as an accompaniment to the main dish

Hypernyms ("accompaniment" is a kind of...):

adjunct (something added to another thing but not an essential part of it)

Sense 4

Meaning:

The act of accompanying someone or something in order to protect them

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

accompaniment; escort

Hypernyms ("accompaniment" is a kind of...):

protection (the activity of protecting someone or something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "accompaniment"):

convoy (the act of escorting while in transit)

Derivation:

accompany (go or travel along with)

accompany (be a companion to somebody)

 Context examples 

I play his accompaniments in the evening.

(The Return of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

One accompaniment to her song took her agreeably by surprize—a second, slightly but correctly taken by Frank Churchill.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

In the morning Henry renewed the fire and cooked breakfast to the accompaniment of his partner's snoring.

(White Fang, by Jack London)

The stench of bad beef was in his nostrils, while in his ears, to the accompaniment of creaking timbers and groaning bulkheads, echoed the loud mouth-noises of the eaters.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

It points also to an orthodox burial with proper accompaniment of medical certificate and official sanction.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

"Sing!" said she, and again touching the piano, she commenced an accompaniment in spirited style.

(Jane Eyre, by Charlotte Brontë)

Finally, the conversation turned to music—I am not sure that my uncle did not artfully bring it there, and the Prince, hearing from him of my tastes, would have it that I should then and there sit down at the wonderful little piano, all inlaid with mother-of-pearl, which stood in the corner, and play him the accompaniment to his song.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

With these accompaniments we were left alone to finish the evening, my aunt sitting opposite to me drinking her wine and water; soaking her strips of toast in it, one by one, before eating them; and looking benignantly on me, from among the borders of her nightcap.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

So, sitting at the dear little piano, Beth softly touched the keys, and in the sweet voice they had never thought to hear again, sang to her own accompaniment the quaint hymn, which was a singularly fitting song for her.

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

She was so little equal to Rebecca's puddings and Rebecca's hashes, brought to table, as they all were, with such accompaniments of half-cleaned plates, and not half-cleaned knives and forks, that she was very often constrained to defer her heartiest meal till she could send her brothers in the evening for biscuits and buns.

(Mansfield Park, by Jane Austen)