percussion
Etymology

From Middle English percussioun, from Middle French -, Old French percussion, from Latin percussiō, from percutiō ("I strike").

Pronunciation
  • (America) IPA: /pɚˈkʌʃən/
Noun

percussion

  1. (countable) The collision of two bodies in order to produce a sound.
  2. (countable) The sound so produced.
  3. (countable) The detonation of a percussion cap in a firearm.
  4. (medicine) The tapping of the body as an aid to medical diagnosis.
  5. (music) The section of an orchestra or band containing percussion instruments; such instruments considered as a group; in bands, may be separate from drum kits.
  6. (engineering) The repeated striking of an object to break or shape it, as in percussion drilling.
    • 1697, J[ohn] Evelyn, “Instructions How to Collect, and Procure such Medals as are Antique, and Rare; and to Distinguish the True from the False, for the Prevention of Frauds and Impostures”, in Numismata. A Discourse of Medals, Antient and Modern. […], London: […] Benj[amin] Tooke […], →OCLC ↗, page 201 ↗:
      Moreover, a perfect Medal has its Profile and out-ſtroaks ſharp (Nummus aſper) and by no means rugged; the Figures clean and well poliſh'd; the Contours neatly trimm'd, and exactly round and carefully preſerv'd; that the Extancy and Relievos correſpond with the Ingraving, and have not ſuffer'd in Percuſſion; in all which, there is a certain Spirit of Antiquity and Excellency to be diſcern'd in Antient Medals almoſt inimitable.
  7. (palmistry) The outer side of the hand.
Related terms Translations Translations
  • Russian: выстукивание
Translations


This text is extracted from the Wiktionary and it is available under the CC BY-SA 3.0 license | Terms and conditions | Privacy policy 0.004
Offline English dictionary