descant: [14] Etymologically, descant is a parallel formation to English part song. English acquired it via Old French deschant from medieval Latin discantus ‘refrain’, a compound noun formed from the prefix dis- ‘apart’ and cantus ‘song’. The notion originally underlying it is of a separate vocal line ‘apart’ from the main musical theme. The Middle English form of the word was deschaunt; descant represents a partial 16th-century reversion to Latin discantus. => canto, chant
descant (n.)
late 14c., from Old North French descant (Old French deschant), from Medieval Latin discantus "refrain, part-song," from Latin dis- "asunder, apart" (see dis-) + cantus "song" (see chant). Spelling was partly Latinized 16c. Originally "counterpoint."
descant (v.)
mid-15c.; see descant (n.). Sense of "to comment at length" is first attested 1640s.
双语例句
1. An elderly woman, arms crossed, sang the descant.
一位双臂交叉的老妇人演唱了高音部。
来自柯林斯例句
2. You need not descant upon my shortcomings.
你不必絮说我的缺点.
来自辞典例句
3. She is catching cold today, so she can't descant on the tune.
她今天感冒了, 不能唱高声卸.
来自互联网
4. He is going to descant on the theme of our human mystery.
他将在人类奥秘这个主题上作详细的评论.
来自互联网
5. The girl singers were asked to descant on the tune.
