tune
♦ tune /tj'uːn, AM t'uːn/ (tunes tuning tuned)
1 [N-COUNT]
A tune is a series of musical notes that is pleasant and easy to remember.
She was humming a merry little tune.
= melody
2 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to a song or a short piece of music as a tune.
She'll also be playing your favourite pop tunes.
3 [VERB] V n
When someone tunes a musical instrument, they adjust it so that it produces the right notes.
`We do tune our guitars before we go on,' he insisted.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
Tune up means the same as tune.
Others were quietly tuning up their instruments.
4 [VERB] usu passive, be V-ed
When an engine or machine is tuned, it is adjusted so that it works well.
Drivers are urged to make sure that car engines are properly tuned.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
Tune up means the same as tune.
The shop charges up to $500 to tune up a Porsche.
5 [VERB] usu passive, be V-ed to n
If your radio or television is tuned to a particular broadcasting station, you are listening to or watching the programmes being broadcast by that station.
A small colour television was tuned to an afternoon soap opera.
6
see also fine-tune, signature tune,
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that a person or organization is calling the tune, you mean that they are in a position of power or control in a particular situation.
Who would then be calling the tune in Parliament?
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that someone has changed their tune, you are criticizing them because they have changed their opinion or way of doing things.
You've changed your tune since this morning, haven't you?...
9 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that someone is dancing to someone else's tune, you mean that they are allowing themselves to be controlled by the other person.
The danger of commercialism is that the churches end up dancing to the tune of their big business sponsors.
10 [PHRASE] PHR after v, v-link PHR
A person or musical instrument that is in tune produces exactly the right notes. A person or musical instrument that is out of tune does not produce exactly the right notes.
It was just an ordinary voice, but he sang in tune...
Many of the notes are out of tune...
11 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR n
If you are in tune with a group of people, you are in agreement or sympathy with them. If you are out of tune with them, you are not in agreement or sympathy with them.
Today, his change of direction seems more in tune with the times...
The peace campaigners were probably out of tune with most Britons.
12 [PREP-PHRASE] PREP amount
To the tune of a particular amount of money means to the extent of that amount.
They've been sponsoring the World Cup to the tune of a million and a half pounds.
13
he who pays the piper calls the tune: see pipersig|na|ture tune (signature tunes)
[N-COUNT]
A signature tune is the tune which is always played at the beginning or end of a particular television or radio programme, or which people associate with a particular performer. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use theme song)
Doesn't that sound like the signature tune from The Late Late Show?tune in
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P to n, V P
If you tune in to a particular television or radio station or programme, you watch or listen to it.
More than six million youngsters tune in to Blockbusters every day...
The idea that people plan their radio listening is nonsense; most tune in impulsively.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P to n
If you tune in to something such as your own or other people's feelings, you become aware of them.
You can start now to tune in to your own physical, social and spiritual needs.
see also tuned intune up
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
When a group of musicians tune up, they adjust their instruments so that they produce the right notes.
I could hear the sound of a band tuning up.
see also tune 4
1 [N-COUNT]
A tune is a series of musical notes that is pleasant and easy to remember.
She was humming a merry little tune.
= melody
2 [N-COUNT]
You can refer to a song or a short piece of music as a tune.
She'll also be playing your favourite pop tunes.
3 [VERB] V n
When someone tunes a musical instrument, they adjust it so that it produces the right notes.
`We do tune our guitars before we go on,' he insisted.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
Tune up means the same as tune.
Others were quietly tuning up their instruments.
4 [VERB] usu passive, be V-ed
When an engine or machine is tuned, it is adjusted so that it works well.
Drivers are urged to make sure that car engines are properly tuned.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron)
Tune up means the same as tune.
The shop charges up to $500 to tune up a Porsche.
5 [VERB] usu passive, be V-ed to n
If your radio or television is tuned to a particular broadcasting station, you are listening to or watching the programmes being broadcast by that station.
A small colour television was tuned to an afternoon soap opera.
6
see also fine-tune, signature tune,
7 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that a person or organization is calling the tune, you mean that they are in a position of power or control in a particular situation.
Who would then be calling the tune in Parliament?
8 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that someone has changed their tune, you are criticizing them because they have changed their opinion or way of doing things.
You've changed your tune since this morning, haven't you?...
9 [PHRASE] V inflects
If you say that someone is dancing to someone else's tune, you mean that they are allowing themselves to be controlled by the other person.
The danger of commercialism is that the churches end up dancing to the tune of their big business sponsors.
10 [PHRASE] PHR after v, v-link PHR
A person or musical instrument that is in tune produces exactly the right notes. A person or musical instrument that is out of tune does not produce exactly the right notes.
It was just an ordinary voice, but he sang in tune...
Many of the notes are out of tune...
11 [PHRASE] v-link PHR, PHR n
If you are in tune with a group of people, you are in agreement or sympathy with them. If you are out of tune with them, you are not in agreement or sympathy with them.
Today, his change of direction seems more in tune with the times...
The peace campaigners were probably out of tune with most Britons.
12 [PREP-PHRASE] PREP amount
To the tune of a particular amount of money means to the extent of that amount.
They've been sponsoring the World Cup to the tune of a million and a half pounds.
13
he who pays the piper calls the tune: see pipersig|na|ture tune (signature tunes)
[N-COUNT]
A signature tune is the tune which is always played at the beginning or end of a particular television or radio programme, or which people associate with a particular performer. (mainly BRIT; in AM, usually use theme song)
Doesn't that sound like the signature tune from The Late Late Show?tune in
1 [PHRASAL VERB] V P to n, V P
If you tune in to a particular television or radio station or programme, you watch or listen to it.
More than six million youngsters tune in to Blockbusters every day...
The idea that people plan their radio listening is nonsense; most tune in impulsively.
2 [PHRASAL VERB] V P to n
If you tune in to something such as your own or other people's feelings, you become aware of them.
You can start now to tune in to your own physical, social and spiritual needs.
see also tuned intune up
[PHRASAL VERB] V P
When a group of musicians tune up, they adjust their instruments so that they produce the right notes.
I could hear the sound of a band tuning up.
see also tune 4