Etymology Variant of cord, with spelling alteration due to Latin chorda (“cord”), ultimately from Ancient Greek χορδή (khordḗ, “string of gut, the string of a lyre”). No relation to French accord (“chord”) and its derivations. Doublet of cuerda.
Entertainment, Lifestyle, Music A harmonic set of three or more notes that is heard as if sounding simultaneously.
He struck the opening chords of the passage; but this time Irene's voice was silent. Victor stopped in the middle of an arpeggio.1956, Delano Ames, chapter 14, in Crime out of Mind:
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Geometry, Mathematics, Sciences A line segment between two points of a curve.
The simplest method of calculating the radius of a curve in situ is to measure the versine; in railway practice this is done by extending a tape 66 ft. (1 ch.) long in a straight line or chord between two points on the periphery of a curve, and then measuring the maximum distance of the rail from the chord at the centre of the 66 ft. The radius in chains is found by dividing the versine in inches into 99. Thus if a versine measures 3 in., the radius will be 33 ch.1941 September, “The Why and the Wherefore: Curves”, in Railway Magazine, page 430:
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Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences A horizontal member of a truss.
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Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Rail transport, Railways, Transport A section of subsidiary railway track that interconnects two primary tracks that cross at different levels, to permit traffic to flow between them.
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Aeronautics, Aerospace, Business, Engineering, Natural sciences, Physical sciences The distance between the leading and trailing edge of a wing, measured in the direction of the normal airflow.
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Nautical, Transport An imaginary line from the luff of a sail to its leech.
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Computing, Engineering, Mathematics, Natural sciences, Physical sciences, Sciences A keyboard shortcut that involves two or more distinct keypresses, such as Ctrl+M followed by P.
Ctrl-K is the default first key for chords, but you can create chords using any keys that you want.2005, James Avery, Visual Studio hacks, page 99:
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The string of a musical instrument.
Instruments that made melodious Chime Was heard, of Harp and Organ; and who mov'd Their Stops and Chords was seen1667, John Milton, “(please specify the page number)”, in Paradise Lost. […], London: […] [Samuel Simmons], and are to be sold by Peter Parker […]; [a]nd by Robert Boulter […]; [a]nd Matthias Walker, […], →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: […], London: Basil Montagu Pickering […], 1873, →OCLC:
Etymology Variant of cord, with spelling alteration due to Latin chorda (“cord”), ultimately from Ancient Greek χορδή (khordḗ, “string of gut, the string of a lyre”). No relation to French accord (“chord”) and its derivations. Doublet of cuerda.
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To write chords for.
This chording technique works well for learning any tune, but this is the only tune of the set that I will write out completely as a chorded version.2003, Dan Levenson, Clawhammer Banjo from Scratch: