Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- noun A small rectangular instrument consisting of a row of free reeds set back in air holes, played by exhaling or inhaling.
- noun A glass harmonica.
- noun An instrument consisting of tuned strips of metal or glass fixed to a frame and struck with a hammer.
from The Century Dictionary.
- noun In organ-building, a mixturestop.
- noun Same as
musical glasses (which see, underglass ). - noun A musical toy consisting of a set of small metallic reeds so mounted in a case that they may be played by the breath, certain tones being produced by expiration, others by inhalation. Also called
harmonicon .
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- noun A musical instrument, consisting of a series of hemispherical glasses which, by touching the edges with the dampened finger, give forth the tones; it is now called the
glass harmonica , to distinguish it from the common harmonica, formerly called the harmonicon. - noun A toy instrument of strips of glass or metal hung on two tapes, and struck with hammers.
- noun A small wind musical instrument shaped like a flat bar with holes along the thin edges, held in the hand and producing notes from multiple vibrating reeds arranged inside along its length; it was formerly called the
harmonicon . Seeharmonicon .
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun a musical
wind instrument with a series of holes for the player to blow into, each hole producing a different note - noun a
musical instrument , consisting of a series of hemispherical glasses which, by touching the edges with thedampened finger, give forth thetones . - noun a toy instrument of strips of glass or metal hung on two tapes, and struck with hammers.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- noun a small rectangular free-reed instrument having a row of free reeds set back in air holes and played by blowing into the desired hole
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
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Examples
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Clutch played beefy, beery blues-rock, with vintage guitar riffs and growly vocals upholstered in harmonica and organ.
Bonnaroo: Beery Blues-rock and Jazz Anarchy - ArtsBeat Blog - NYTimes.com 2007
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Clutch played beefy, beery blues-rock, with vintage guitar riffs and growly vocals upholstered in harmonica and organ.
Bonnaroo: Beery Blues-rock and Jazz Anarchy - ArtsBeat Blog - NYTimes.com 2007
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With its compact design, the rugged, industry standard IP 20 model is also compatible for mating with multiport 'harmonica'-style RJ 45 jacks.
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But Andrew had never thought the harmonica was a toy.
Yolonda's Genius Carol Fenner 2001
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But Andrew had never thought the harmonica was a toy.
Yolonda's Genius Carol Fenner 2001
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But Andrew had never thought the harmonica was a toy.
Yolonda's Genius Carol Fenner 2001
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But Andrew had never thought the harmonica was a toy.
Yolonda's Genius Carol Fenner 2001
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The harmonica is a staple of American blues, beginning with the Memphis jug bands of the 1920s.
NPR Topics: News 2011
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The harmonica is a staple of American blues, beginning with the Memphis jug bands of the 1920s.
NPR Topics: News 2011
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The harmonica is a staple of American blues, beginning with the Memphis jug bands of the 1920s.
NPR Topics: News 2011
reesetee commented on the word harmonica
So tell us, WeirdNet: Are the reeds free?
July 3, 2008
yarb commented on the word harmonica
I just bought my daughter her first harmonica.
September 18, 2008
whichbe commented on the word harmonica
Aw! How old is she? My partner has a 3 year old (thus making me fatheresque) and she has this little pink, plastic, toddler-sized grand piano that she loves...
September 18, 2008
yarb commented on the word harmonica
It's going to be a third birthday present.
When she reaches the age of six she will be turned out of the home to make her way on the blues club circuit.
I love the idea of a toddler-sized grand piano! A baby-baby-grand.
September 18, 2008
whichbe commented on the word harmonica
A harmonica is a really good first instrument because it's possible to make so many cool, crazy sounds so easily. I had one when I was about 6 and I remember giggling because I would breathe in-out through it, thus making my breath musically filtered.
September 18, 2008
yarb commented on the word harmonica
Plus, it's easy to learn the basics. I mean you can be playing like Bob Dylan in literally five minutes!
September 18, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word harmonica
I applaud yarb's parenting strategy. I regularly rented my spawn out to the circus from the age of six.
September 18, 2008
gangerh commented on the word harmonica
HAHAHA, c_b! I love that comment.
September 18, 2008
reesetee commented on the word harmonica
Gangerh, I suspect she's not kidding. ;->
September 18, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word harmonica
Well, okay. I threatened to.
September 18, 2008
bilby commented on the word harmonica
*pretends bilbies have eyebrows, and raises one*
September 18, 2008
frogapplause commented on the word harmonica
I like to pretend. What else don't bilbies have that I can have fun pretending about? :-)
September 18, 2008
bilby commented on the word harmonica
Cucumber sandwich parties.
September 18, 2008
gangerh commented on the word harmonica
Enough applause from frogs?
September 18, 2008
oroboros commented on the word harmonica
Wound Lewinsky?
October 12, 2009