tempo
Americannoun
plural
tempos, tempi-
Music. relative rapidity or rate of movement, usually indicated by such terms as adagio, allegro, etc., or by reference to the metronome.
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characteristic rate, rhythm, or pattern of work or activity.
the tempo of city life.
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Chess. the gaining or losing of time and effectiveness relative to one's continued mobility or developing position, especially with respect to the number of moves required to gain an objective.
Black gained a tempo.
noun
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the speed at which a piece or passage of music is meant to be played, usually indicated by a musical direction ( tempo marking ) or metronome marking
-
rate or pace
Etymology
Origin of tempo
1680–90; < Italian < Latin tempus time
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Samson toppled the pillars of the West Indies bowling attack in a methodical manner - expertly picking his moments to attack and increase the tempo of the chase with ruthless calculation.
From BBC
Full of thunderous strings and Wagnerian vocals, it starts off as an opera song, changes tempo three times, introduces a guest verse from Bjork and ends with an almighty rave breakdown.
From BBC
Ireland punched holes through the middle and attacked with tempo and offloads.
From BBC
Wood dictated the tempo across 12 rounds against a frustrated, flat-footed Warrington.
From BBC
He sings the chorus, then cranks up the tempo a notch and suddenly starts belting the Beatles’ “Get Back,” before smoothly transitioning once more into his own song.
From Los Angeles Times
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
