| Syncopate | v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Syncopated p. pr. & vb. n. Syncopating. ] [ LL. syncopatus, p. p. of syncopare to syncopate, to swoon. See Syncope. ] 1. (Gram.) To contract, as a word, by taking one or more letters or syllables from the middle; as, “Gloster” is a syncopated form of “Gloucester.” [ 1913 Webster ] 2. (Mus.) To commence, as a tone, on an unaccented part of a measure, and continue it into the following accented part, so that the accent is driven back upon the weak part and the rhythm drags. [ 1913 Webster ] |
| Syncopation | n. 1. (Gram.) The act of syncopating; the contraction of a word by taking one or more letters or syllables from the middle; syncope. [ 1913 Webster ] 2. (Mus.) The act of syncopating; a peculiar figure of rhythm, or rhythmical alteration, which consists in welding into one tone the second half of one beat with the first half of the beat which follows. [ 1913 Webster ] |
