tempo
/ˈtɛm.poʊ/
Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.74 in modern English
Meaning
noun
A move which is part of one's own plan or strategy and forces, e.g. by means of a check or attacking a piece, the opponent to make a move which is not bad but of no use (the player gains a tempo, the opponent loses a tempo), or equivalently a player achieves the same result in fewer moves by one approach rather than another.
noun
The timing advantage of being on lead, thus being first to initiate a strategy to develop tricks for one's side.
noun
The timing of a particular event – earlier or later than in an alternative situation.
noun
The number of beats per minute in a piece of music; also, an indicative term denoting approximate rate of speed in written music (examples: allegro, andante)
Example Sentences
- "10 calls per hour isn't a bad start, but we'll need to up the tempo if we want to reach our target of selling insurance policies."
- "the tempo effect in fertility measurements"
- "The conductor asked the orchestra to increase the tempo."
- "The song has a slow tempo that makes it relaxing."
- "The dancer kept pace with the shifting tempo of the music."
- "From the back door of a tempo with his too-strong hands he lifted a woman wearing red clothes, like a precious jewel wrapped in gold embroidered cloth."
Etymology
Origin
Word Breakdown
- Root: *temh₁-, tempo, tempus
Regional Pronunciation
- American English: /ˈtɛm.poʊ/
- British English: /ˈtɛm.pəʊ/
Subject
Wiktionary places this term in Music.