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ODE→cadence

cadence

Flag: gbEnglishOxford Dictionary of English
cadence /ˈkeɪdn(t)s /
▸ noun
1 a modulation or inflection of the voice:
his measured cadences never convey the character's underlying passion.
▪ a rhythmical effect in written text:
the dry cadences of the essay.
▪ a fall in pitch of the voice at the end of a phrase or sentence.
▪ [mass noun] rhythm:
the thumping cadence of the engines.
2 a sequence of notes or chords comprising the close of a musical phrase:
the final cadences of the Prelude.
– DERIVATIVES
cadenced /ˈkeɪd(ə)n(t)st / adjective
– ORIGIN late Middle English (in the sense ‘rhythm or metrical beat’): via Old French from Italian cadenza, based on Latin cadere ‘to fall’.