What does "overture" mean?
Overture: Disclosure; discovery; revelation. [Obs.] It was he That made the overture of thy treasons to us. Shak.
Additional senses
- 2.A proposal; an offer; a proposition formally submitted for consideration, acceptance, or rejection. "The great overture of the gospel." Barrow.
- 3.(Mus.) A composition, for a full orchestra, designed as an introduction to an oratorio, opera, or ballet, or as an independent piece; -- called in the latter case a concert overture.
- 4.To make an overture to; as, to overture a religious body on some subject.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00