harmonica

/hɑ:'mɔnikə/

Thân thiện

A child plays a harmonica on the front porch.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A small, rectangular, handheld musical instrument consisting of a row of air holes, each leading to a metal reed. Sound is produced by blowing air into or drawing air out of the holes.

Examples of Usage

• Noun:
  • He played a blues tune on his harmonica.
  • The sound of a harmonica echoed through the quiet street.
  • She carries a harmonica in her pocket everywhere she goes.

Advanced Usage

• "To blow a harmonica": To play the harmonica by exhaling into it.
  • He learned to blow a harmonica by listening to old records.
• "To play the mouth organ": An alternative name for playing the harmonica.
  • In some regions, people say he can really play the mouth organ.

Variants and Related Words

• Mouth organ (n): Another common name for the harmonica.
  • The mouth organ is a popular instrument in folk music.
• Blues harp (n): A type of harmonica, often a 10-hole diatonic model, commonly used in blues music.
  • He is a master of the blues harp.

Synonyms

• Mouth harp: An informal synonym for harmonica.
• French harp: A regional term, primarily used in the Southern United States, for the harmonica.

Related Phrases

• "To harp on" (phrasal verb): To talk or complain about something repeatedly. (Note: This phrase uses "harp" in a different, idiomatic sense and is not directly related to the instrument, but is a common linguistic connection.)
  • He's always harping on about the same old problem.

Related Idioms

• "Blow your own horn": To boast about your own achievements. While this idiom uses "horn," it is conceptually related to playing a wind instrument to draw attention to oneself, similar to how one might play a harmonica.
  • He's not shy; he'll blow his own horn whenever he gets the chance.

Học thuật

Noun

1. a small rectangular free-reed instrument having a row of free reeds set back in air holes and played by blowing into the desired hole

Từ đồng nghĩa

• mouth organ
• harp
• mouth harp