Mu"sic (?), n. [F. musique, fr.
L. musica, Gr. ? (sc. ?), any art over which the Muses
presided, especially music, lyric poetry set and sung to music, fr.
? belonging to Muses or fine arts, fr. ? Muse.]
1. The science and the art of tones, or musical
sounds, i. e., sounds of higher or lower pitch, begotten of
uniform and synchronous vibrations, as of a string at various degrees
of tension; the science of harmonical tones which treats of the
principles of harmony, or the properties, dependences, and relations
of tones to each other; the art of combining tones in a manner to
please the ear.
☞ Not all sounds are tones. Sounds may be
unmusical and yet please the ear. Music deals with
tones, and with no other sounds. See Tone.
2. (a) Melody; a rhythmical
and otherwise agreeable succession of tones.
(b) Harmony; an accordant combination of
simultaneous tones.
3. The written and printed notation of a
musical composition; the score.
4. Love of music; capacity of enjoying
music.
The man that hath no music in himself
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils.
Shak.
5. (Zoöl.) A more or less musical
sound made by many of the lower animals. See
Stridulation.
Magic music, a game in which a person is
guided in finding a hidden article, or in doing a specific art
required, by music which is made more loud or rapid as he approaches
success, and slower as he recedes. Tennyson. --
Music box. See Musical box, under
Musical. -- Music hall, a place for
public musical entertainments. -- Music loft,
a gallery for musicians, as in a dancing room or a church. -
- Music of the spheres, the harmony supposed to
be produced by the accordant movement of the celestial spheres.
-- Music paper, paper ruled with the musical
staff, for the use of composers and copyists. -- Music
pen, a pen for ruling at one time the five lines of the
musical staff. -- Music shell
(Zoöl.), a handsomely colored marine gastropod shell
(Voluta musica) found in the East Indies; -- so called because
the color markings often resemble printed music. Sometimes applied to
other shells similarly marked. -- To face the
music, to meet any disagreeable necessity without
flinching. [Colloq. or Slang]