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which in early spring, while breeding in swamps and ditches, sings with high, shrill, but musical, notes.

Not harmonious; unmusical; discordant; dissonant. Sounds inharmonious in themselves and harsh. Cowper.

A contrivance or implement, by which musical sounds are produced; as, a musical instrument. Praise him with stringed instruments and organs. Ps. cl. 4. But signs when songs and instruments he hears. Dryden.

Pertaining to, made by, or prepared for, an instrument, esp. a musical instrument; as, instrumental music, distinguished from vocal music. "He defended the use of instrumental music in public worship." Macaulay. Sweet voices mix'd with instrumental sounds. Dryden.

The arrangement of a musical composition for performance by a number of different instruments; orchestration; instrumental composition; composition for an orchestra or military band.

A performer on a musical instrument; an instrumentalist.

A straining, stretching, or bending; the state of being strained; as, the intension of a musical string.

A short musical dramatic piece, of a light and pleasing, sometimes a burlesque, character; an interlude introduced between the acts of a play or an opera.

To sound the tones of the musical scale; to practice the sol- fa.

The act of sounding the tones of the musical scale.

To utter with a musical or prolonged note or tone; to chant; as, to intone the church service.

Discordant sound; wrangling. The musical jangle of sleigh bells. Longfellow.

A light, brisk musical movement. Hot and hasty, like a Scotch jib. Shak.

n of a point of light reflected from the knob, the paths or curves corresponding with the musical notes produced by the vibrations.

A chapel; hence, the choir or orchestra of a prince's chapel; now, a musical establishment, usually orchestral. Grove.

A kind of toy or rude musical instrument, as a tube inside of which is a stretched string made to vibrate by singing or humming into the tube.

six finger keys or stops, by means of which the performer can play upon every key in the musical scale; -- called also keyed bugle, and key bugle. Moore.

A Chinese musical instrument, consisting of resonant stones or metal plates, arranged according to their tones in a frame of wood, and struck with a hammer.

A musical note, formerly in use, equal to two longs, four breves, or eight semibreves.

A melody; any musical utterance. The throstle cock made eke his lay. Chaucer.