n. [ F. musique, fr. L. musica, Gr. &unr_; (sc. &unr_;), any art over which the Muses presided, especially music, lyric poetry set and sung to music, fr. &unr_; belonging to Muses or fine arts, fr. &unr_; Muse. ] 1. The science and the art of tones, or musical sounds, i. e., sounds of higher or lower pitch, begotten of uniform and synchronous vibrations, as of a string at various degrees of tension; the science of harmonical tones which treats of the principles of harmony, or the properties, dependences, and relations of tones to each other; the art of combining tones in a manner to please the ear. [ 1913 Webster ]

☞ Not all sounds are tones. Sounds may be unmusical and yet please the ear. Music deals with tones, and with no other sounds. See Tone. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. (a) Melody; a rhythmical and otherwise agreeable succession of tones. (b) Harmony; an accordant combination of simultaneous tones. [ 1913 Webster ]

3. The written and printed notation of a musical composition; the score. [ 1913 Webster ]

4. Love of music; capacity of enjoying music. [ 1913 Webster ]

The man that hath no music in himself
Nor is not moved with concord of sweet sounds,
Is fit for treasons, stratagems, and spoils. Shak. [ 1913 Webster ]

5. (Zool.) A more or less musical sound made by many of the lower animals. See Stridulation. [ 1913 Webster ]

Magic music, a game in which a person is guided in finding a hidden article, or in doing a specific act required, by music which is made more loud or rapid as he approaches success, and slower as he recedes. It is similar to the game of hot and cold, but using music as the clue. Tennyson. --
Music box. See Musical box, under Musical. --
Music hall, a place for public musical entertainments. --
Music loft, a gallery for musicians, as in a dancing room or a church. --
Music of the spheres, the harmony supposed to be produced by the accordant movement of the celestial spheres. --
Music paper, paper ruled with the musical staff, for the use of composers and copyists. --
Music pen, a pen for ruling at one time the five lines of the musical staff. --
Music shell (Zool.), a handsomely colored marine gastropod shell (Voluta musica) found in the East Indies; -- so called because the color markings often resemble printed music. Sometimes applied to other shells similarly marked. --
To face the music, to meet any disagreeable necessity, such as a reprimand for an error or misdeed, without flinching. [ Colloq. or Slang ] [ 1913 Webster ]

n. 1. Music. [ Obs. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

To fetch home May with their musical. Spenser. [ 1913 Webster ]

2. A social entertainment of which music is the leading feature; a musical party. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

3. A drama in which music and song are prominent features; a musical drama or musical play; as, Oklahoma! was a breakthrough in the form and popularity of the musical. [ PJC ]

a. [ Cf. F. musical. ] Of or pertaining to music; having the qualities of music; or the power of producing music; devoted to music; melodious; harmonious; as, musical proportion; a musical voice; musical instruments; a musical sentence; musical persons. [ 1913 Webster ]

Musical box, or
Music box, a box or case containing apparatus moved by clockwork so as to play certain tunes automatically. The apparatus may be driven by a wind-up spring mechanism or by batteries. --
Musical fish (Zool.), any fish which utters sounds under water, as the drumfish, grunt, gizzard shad, etc. --
Musical glasses, glass goblets or bowls so tuned and arranged that when struck, or rubbed, they produce musical notes. Cf. Harmonica, 1. [ 1913 Webster ]

‖n. [ F. Cf. Soirée musicale. ] A social musical party. [ Colloq. ] [ 1913 Webster ]

adv. In a musical manner. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. The quality of being musical. [ 1913 Webster ]

. An opera in which the text and action are not interrupted by set arias, duets, etc., the music being determined throughout by dramatic appropriateness; musical drama of this character, in general. It involves the use of a kind of melodious declamation, the development of leitmotif, great orchestral elaboration, and a fusion of poetry, music, action, and scene into an organic whole. The term is applied esp. to the later works of Wagner: “Tristan und Isolde, ” “Die Meistersinger, ” “Rheingold, ” “Walküre, ” “Siegfried, ” “Götterdämmerung, ” and “Parsifal.” [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

. A place for public musical entertainments; specif. (Eng.), esp. a public hall for vaudeville performances, in which smoking and drinking are usually allowed in the auditorium. [ Webster 1913 Suppl. ]

n. [ F. musicien. ] One skilled in the art or science of music; esp., a skilled singer, or performer on a musical instrument. [ 1913 Webster ]

n. [ Music + mania: cf. F. musicomanie. ] (Med.) A kind of monomania in which the passion for music becomes so strong as to derange the intellectual faculties. Dunglison. [ 1913 Webster ]