Overture

overture

ˈəʊvətj(ʊ)ə/

noun

noun: overture; plural noun: overtures

1. 1.

   an orchestral piece at the beginning of an opera, play, etc.

   
   

   "the overture to Mozart's ‘Don Giovanni’"

   
   

   synonyms:

   prelude, introduction, opening, introductory movement, voluntary; rareverset "the overture to Don Giovanni"

   • an independent orchestral composition in one movement.

     
     

     "Tchaikovsky's ‘1812 Overture’"
2. 2.

   an introduction to something more substantial.

   
   

   "the talks were no more than an overture to a long debate"

   
   

   synonyms:

   preliminary, prelude, curtain-raiser, introduction, lead-in, precursor, forerunner, harbinger, herald, start, beginning; informalopener "the talks were no more than the overture to a long debate"

3. 3.

   an approach or proposal made to someone with the aim of opening negotiations or establishing a relationship.

   
   

   "he began making overtures to British merchant banks"

   
   

   synonyms:

   opening move, conciliatory move, move, approach, advances, feeler, signal, proposal, proposition, pass, offer, tender, suggestion "the enemy were making peace overtures"

Origin

late Middle English (in the sense ‘aperture’): from Old French, from Latin apertura ‘aperture’.

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