DESCANT

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does descant mean? 

• DESCANT (noun)
  The noun DESCANT has 1 sense:

1. a decorative musical accompaniment (often improvised) added above a basic melody

  Familiarity information: DESCANT used as a noun is very rare.

• DESCANT (verb)
  The verb DESCANT has 3 senses:

1. sing in descant

2. sing by changing register; sing by yodeling

3. talk at great length about something of one's interest

  Familiarity information: DESCANT used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• DESCANT (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A decorative musical accompaniment (often improvised) added above a basic melody

Classified under:

Nouns denoting communicative processes and contents

Synonyms:

descant; discant

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

accompaniment; backup; musical accompaniment; support (a musical part (vocal or instrumental) that supports or provides background for other musical parts)

Derivation:

descant (sing by changing register; sing by yodeling)

descant (sing in descant)

• DESCANT (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Sing in descant

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Hypernyms (to "descant" is one way to...):

sing (produce tones with the voice)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Derivation:

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

Sense 2

Meaning:

Sing by changing register; sing by yodeling

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

descant; warble; yodel

Context example:

The Austrians were yodeling in the mountains

Hypernyms (to "descant" is one way to...):

sing (produce tones with the voice)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue descant

Derivation:

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

Sense 3

Meaning:

Talk at great length about something of one's interest

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Hypernyms (to "descant" is one way to...):

discourse; discuss; talk about (to consider or examine in speech or writing)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue descant

 Context examples 

I may add, without vanity, that my presence often gave them sufficient matter for discourse, because it afforded my master an occasion of letting his friends into the history of me and my country, upon which they were all pleased to descant, in a manner not very advantageous to humankind: and for that reason I shall not repeat what they said; only I may be allowed to observe, that his honour, to my great admiration, appeared to understand the nature of Yahoos much better than myself.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)