the star-spangled banner
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
Proper noun: * The national anthem of the United States of America: A specific song, officially adopted in 1931, that serves as the country's national anthem. Its lyrics come from a poem titled "Defence of Fort M'Henry" written by Francis Scott Key in 1814.
Usage
- The title is always capitalized: .
- It is used to refer specifically to the official national anthem song.
- It is often performed at the beginning of official ceremonies, public events, and sporting games in the United States.
Examples
Advanced Usage
- "to sing/perform The Star-Spangled Banner": The standard phrasing for the act of presenting the anthem.
- A famous singer was invited to perform The Star-Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl.
- The phrase can be used metonymically to represent American patriotism or official proceedings.
- The protest began after The Star-Spangled Banner was played.
Variants and Related Words
- National anthem: The general term for a country's official patriotic song. is the national anthem of the United States.
- "The Stars and Stripes": A common nickname for the flag of the United States, which is the subject of the anthem's lyrics.
- "Star-Spangled" (adj.): Describes something decorated or covered with stars, like the flag mentioned in the anthem's title and lyrics.
Synonyms
- U.S. national anthem: A direct descriptive synonym.
- American national anthem: A direct descriptive synonym.
Notes on Meaning
- The term refers exclusively to the song itself. The poem written by Francis Scott Key was originally titled "Defence of Fort M'Henry." It was later set to the tune of a popular British song and renamed before its official adoption.
- The first line of the anthem is "O say can you see," and it famously describes "the star-spangled banner" (the American flag) flying over Fort McHenry.
Noun
- a poem written by Francis Scott Key during the War of 1812 was set to music and adopted by Congress in 1931 as the national anthem of the United States