Etymology From Middle English tune, an unexplained variant of tone, from Old French ton, from Latin tonus, from Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos, “a tone”). Doublet of tone, ton, and tonus.
Pray you now, if it may the ſtand with the tune of your voices, that I may bee Conſull, I haue heere the Cuſtomarie Gowne.c. 1608–1609 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedy of Coriolanus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene iii], page 12, column 2:
A child will learn three times as much when he is in tune, as when he […] is dragged unwillingly to [his task].1693, [John Locke], “§72”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC, page 76:
Etymology From Middle English tune, an unexplained variant of tone, from Old French ton, from Latin tonus, from Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos, “a tone”). Doublet of tone, ton, and tonus.
1
UK, Slang Used to show appreciation or approval of a song.
You heard the new Rizzle Kicks song? — Tune!
tune
verb
Etymology From Middle English tune, an unexplained variant of tone, from Old French ton, from Latin tonus, from Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos, “a tone”). Doublet of tone, ton, and tonus.
To adjust (a musical instrument) so that it produces the correct pitches.
to tune a piano or a violin
The Harpe. […] A harper with his wreſt maye tune the harpe wrong / Mys tunying of an Inſtrument ſhal hurt a true ſonge1568, William Cornishe [i.e., William Cornysh], “In the Fleete Made by Me William Cornishe otherwise Called Nyshwhete Chapelman with the Most Famose and Noble Kyng Henry the VII. His Reygne the XIX. Yere the Moneth of July. A Treatise betwene Trouth, and Information.”, in John Skelton, edited by J[ohn] S[tow], Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate, London: […] Thomas Marshe, →OCLC; republished as Pithy Pleasaunt and Profitable Workes of Maister Skelton, Poete Laureate to King Henry the VIIIth, London: […] C. Davis […], 1736, →OCLC, page 290:
2 more examples
She bids me hope; oh Heav'ns; ſhe pities me! / And pity ſtill foreruns approching love; / As Lightning does the Thunder! Tune your Harps / Ye Angels to that ſound; and thou, my Heart, / Make room to entertain thy flowing Joy.1681, John Dryden, The Spanish Fryar: Or, the Double Discovery. […], London: […] Richard Tonson and Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC, Act II, page 21:
Fortune foretun'd the Dying Notes of Rome: / Till I, thy Conſul ſole, conſol'd thy Doom.1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Tenth Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC, page 199, lines 190–191:
2
To adjust or modify (especially a mechanical or electrical device) so that it functions optimally.
Tuning the engine gave me an extra twenty horsepower.
Tune your mind, and anything becomes possible.
3
To adjust the frequency of a transmitter or receiver, such as on a radio or TV transmitter or receiver, so as to send or receive an electromagnetic signal through a desired frequency band or channel.
Tune to Channel 6 for all your favourite daytime shows.
4
Of faculties, senses, etc.: to adapt to or direct towards a particular target.
My ears were tuned to the sounds of the forest.
5
To make more precise, intense, or effective; to put into a proper state or disposition.
[H]ee hath incurred the euerlaſting diſpleaſure of the King, who had euen tun'd his bounty to ſing happineſſe to him.c. 1604–1605 (date written), William Shakespeare, “All’s Well, that Ends Well”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii], page 246, column 2:
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LifestyleSlang To produce a particular quality of voice by adjusting singing voice synthesis software.
[…] Those who are highly skilled in manipulating the Vocaloid technology—e.g., tuning Miku's singing voices—arrange existing[…]2017 August 10, Keisuke Yamada, Supercell's Supercell featuring Hatsune Miku, Bloomsbury Publishing USA, →ISBN:
LOLA's voice is used simply to render basic notes and words with no pitch or expression tuning applied.2018 December 6, Nina Sun Eidsheim, The Race of Sound: Listening, Timbre, and Vocality in African American Music, Duke University Press, →ISBN:
1 more example
This compiling of a track holds many parallels with “tuning” a Miku track, […]2020, Janice L. Waldron, Stephanie Horsley, Kari K. Veblen, The Oxford Handbook of Social Media and Music Learning, Oxford University Press, USA, →ISBN, page 522:
7
To adjust the frequency of a transmitter or receiver, such as on a radio or TV transmitter or receiver, so as to send or receive an electromagnetic signal through a desired frequency band or channel.
8
To attune; to adapt in style of music; to make harmonious.
For now to ſorrow must I tune my ſong, / And ſet my Harpe to notes of ſaddeſt wo, […]c. 1630, John Milton, “The Passion”, in Poems of Mr. John Milton, […], London: […] Ruth Raworth for Humphrey Mosely, […], published 1646, →OCLC, stanza II, page 17:
9
To give a certain tone or character to.
10
To set (lyrics) to music.
Ginsberg sang some poems from William Blake which he had "tuned".1977 April 9, Charley Shively, “Ginsberg Triumphant”, in Gay Community News, page 12:
To ſee great Hercules whipping a Gigge, / And profound Sallomon to tune a Iigge.c. 1595–1596 (date written), W. Shakespere [i.e., William Shakespeare], A Pleasant Conceited Comedie Called, Loues Labors Lost. […] (First Quarto), London: […] W[illiam] W[hite] for Cut[h]bert Burby, published 1598, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
Fountains and yee, that warble, as ye flow, / Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praiſe.1667, John Milton, “Book V”, 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, lines 195-196: