SPINET

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does spinet mean? 

• SPINET (noun)
  The noun SPINET has 2 senses:

1. a small and compactly built upright piano

2. early model harpsichord with only one string per note

  Familiarity information: SPINET used as a noun is rare.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SPINET (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A small and compactly built upright piano

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

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

upright; upright piano (a piano with a vertical sounding board)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Early model harpsichord with only one string per note

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

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

cembalo; harpsichord (a clavier with strings that are plucked by plectra mounted on pivots)

 Context examples 

Before the spinet a bench was placed, about four feet below the keys, and I was put upon the bench.

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

This is like giving ourselves a slap, to be sure! and it was but yesterday I was telling Mr. Cole, I really was ashamed to look at our new grand pianoforte in the drawing-room, while I do not know one note from another, and our little girls, who are but just beginning, perhaps may never make any thing of it; and there is poor Jane Fairfax, who is mistress of music, has not any thing of the nature of an instrument, not even the pitifullest old spinet in the world, to amuse herself with.

(Emma, by Jane Austen)

I had learned in my youth to play a little upon the spinet.

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

But this appeared extremely difficult: for the spinet was near sixty feet long, each key being almost a foot wide, so that with my arms extended I could not reach to above five keys, and to press them down required a good smart stroke with my fist, which would be too great a labour, and to no purpose.

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

Glumdalclitch kept one in her chamber, and a master attended twice a-week to teach her: I called it a spinet, because it somewhat resembled that instrument, and was played upon in the same manner.

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