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American Dictionary of the English Language

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Harmony


H'ARMONY, noun [Latin harmonia; Gr. a setting together, a closure or seam, agreement, concert, to fit or adapt, to square.]

1. The just adaptation of parts to each other, in any system or composition of things, intended to form a connected whole; as the harmony of the universe.

Equality and correspondence are the causes of harmony

All discord, harmony not understood.

2. Just proportion of sound; consonance; musical concord; the accordance of two or more intervals or sounds, or that union of different sounds which pleases the ear; or a succession of such sounds, called chords.

Ten thousand harps that tuned Angelic harmonies.

3. Concord; agreement; accordance in facts; as the harmony of the gospels.

4. Concord or agreement in views, sentiments or manners, interests, etc., good correspondence; peace and friendship.

The citizens live in harmony

5. Natural harmony in music, consists of the harmonic triad or common chord. Artificial harmony is a mixture of concords and discords. Figured harmony is when one or more of the parts move, during the continuance of a chord, through certain notes which do not form any of the constituent parts of that chord.

6. Perfect harmony implies the use of untempered concords only. Tempered harmony is when the notes are varied by temperament. [See Temperament.]