untune
Học thuậtThân thiện
Definition
- Verb (transitive):
- To cause (a musical instrument) to be out of tune: To adjust or alter an instrument so that its notes are not at the correct pitch.
- To cause (someone) to lose composure; to disquiet or disturb: To upset the emotional or mental equilibrium of a person.
Usage and Examples
Verb (causing an instrument to be out of tune):
- The sudden change in humidity can untune a piano.
- Please do not untune the guitar; I just finished tuning it.
Verb (causing someone to lose composure):
- The shocking news seemed to untune him completely.
- Her harsh criticism untuned the usually confident speaker.
Advanced Usage
- "To untune the string": A metaphorical or literal phrase for disrupting harmony or order.
- His divisive comments threatened to untune the string of their long-standing partnership.
Variants and Related Words
- Untuned (adjective): Not tuned or not in tune.
- The untuned violin produced a discordant sound.
- Detune (verb): A more common synonym in musical contexts meaning to put out of tune.
- Discompose (verb): A formal synonym for the meaning of causing to lose composure.
Synonyms
- For musical meaning: Detune, put out of tune.
- For emotional meaning: Upset, disconcert, unsettle, agitate, discompose.
Antonyms
- Tune (verb): To adjust to the correct pitch.
- Compose (verb): To calm or settle (oneself or someone).
Notes on Usage
- "Untune" is a less common verb. In modern English, "detune" is frequently preferred for musical instruments, and words like "upset" or "unnerve" are more common for the emotional meaning.
- The word often carries a poetic or formal tone, especially when used metaphorically to describe disturbing harmony or peace.
Verb
- cause to be out of tune
- Don't untune that string!
- cause to lose one's composure