Merriam-Webster's Collegiate Dictionary
pre·lude \\ˈprel-ˌyüd, ˈprāl-; ˈpre-ˌlüd, ˈprā-; sense 1 also ˈprē-ˌlüd\\ noun ETYMOLOGY Middle French, from Medieval Latin praeludium, from Latin praeludere to play beforehand, from prae- + ludere to play — more at ludicrous
DATE 1561
1. an introductory performance, action, or event preceding and preparing for the principal or a more important matter2.
a. a musical section or movement introducing the theme or chief subject (as of a fugue or suite) or serving as an introduction to an opera or oratorio
b. an opening voluntary
c. a separate concert piece usually for piano or orchestra and based entirely on a short motifverb
(
pre·lud·ed ;
pre·lud·ing)
DATE 1655
transitive verb1. to serve as a prelude to2. to play as a preludeintransitive verb: to give or serve as a prelude;
especially : to play a musical introduction
•
pre·lud·er noun prelude
1561, from M.Fr. prélude "notes sung or played to test the voice or instrument" (1532), from M.L. preludium "prelude, preliminary," from L. præludere "to play beforehand for practice, preface," from præ- "before" + ludere "to play" (see ludicrous). Purely musical sense first attested in Eng. 1658.
Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary-牛津双解-OALD7
prelude
prel·ude / 5prelju:d / noun1. a short piece of music, especially an introduction to a longer piece
序曲；前奏曲
2. ~ (to sth) an action or event that happens before another more important one and forms an introduction to it
序幕；前奏；先声
Oxford Collocations Dictionary for Students of English
Oxford Collocations dictionary for students of Englishprelude
noun
ADJ. essential, inevitable, necessary
VERB + PRELUDE consider sth, see sth as
PREP. as a ~ events held as a prelude to the Christmas festivities | ~ for the prelude for the battles ahead | ~ to He considered the strikes a prelude to the great socialist revolution.
Webster's Third New International Dictionary, Unabridged
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chorale prelude
prel·udeI. \ˈprelˌyüd, ˈprāˌlüd, ˈpreˌlüd, ˈprālˌyüd, ˈprēˌlüd;
the first pronunciation is heard more often for nonmusical than for musical senses, the ā
pronunciations vice versa; the ē
pronunciation is rarely heard for musical senses\
noun
(
-s)
Etymology: Middle French
prelude, from Medieval Latin
praeludium, from Latin
praeludere to prelude
: an introductory performance, action, event, or other matter, preceding and preparing for a principal or a more important matter
: a preliminary part
: introduction
,
preface
: as
a. : a musical section or movement introducing the theme or chief subject (as of a fugue, suite) or serving as an introduction to an opera or oratorio
b. : an opening voluntary (as in a church service)
c. : a separate concert piece usually for piano or orchestra and usually based entirely on a short motive
II. verb
(
-ed/-ing/-s)
Etymology: Latin
praeludere to play beforehand, to prelude, preface, from
prae- pre- +
ludere to play — more at
ludicrous
intransitive verb: to give or serve as a prelude
: furnish an introduction
: be introductory;
especially : to play a musical introduction
transitive verb1. : to serve as prelude to
: precede as introductory
: foreshadow
2. : to play as a prelude : play or perform a prelude to