Harmony of the spheres

Harmony of the spheres
Harmony Har"mo*ny (h[aum]r"m[-o]*n[y^]), n.; pl. {Harmonies} (-n[i^]z). [F. harmonie, L. harmonia, Gr. "armoni`a joint, proportion, concord, fr. "armo`s a fitting or joining. See {Article}.] 1. The just adaptation of parts to each other, in any system or combination of things, or in things intended to form a connected whole; such an agreement between the different parts of a design or composition as to produce unity of effect; as, the harmony of the universe. [1913 Webster]

2. Concord or agreement in facts, opinions, manners, interests, etc.; good correspondence; peace and friendship; as, good citizens live in harmony. [1913 Webster]

3. A literary work which brings together or arranges systematically parallel passages of historians respecting the same events, and shows their agreement or consistency; as, a harmony of the Gospels. [1913 Webster]

4. (Mus.) (a) A succession of chords according to the rules of progression and modulation. (b) The science which treats of their construction and progression. [1913 Webster]

Ten thousand harps, that tuned Angelic harmonies. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

5. (Anat.) See {Harmonic suture}, under {Harmonic}. [1913 Webster]

{Close harmony}, {Dispersed harmony}, etc. See under {Close}, {Dispersed}, etc.

{Harmony of the spheres}. See {Music of the spheres}, under {Music}.

Syn: {Harmony}, {Melody}.

Usage: Harmony results from the concord of two or more strains or sounds which differ in pitch and quality. Melody denotes the pleasing alternation and variety of musical and measured sounds, as they succeed each other in a single verse or strain. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • harmony of the spheres — a doctrine promulgated by the Pythagoreans that the celestial spheres are separated by intervals corresponding to the relative lengths of strings that produce harmonious tones compare music of the spheres * * * harmony of the spheres see under… …   Useful english dictionary

  • harmony of the spheres — A doctrine often traced to Pythagoras and fusing together mathematics, music, and astronomy. In essence the heavenly bodies, being large objects in motion, must produce music. The perfection of the celestial world requires that this music be… …   Philosophy dictionary

  • harmony of the spheres — see sphere. → harmony …   English new terms dictionary

  • music (or harmony) of the spheres — the natural harmonic tones supposedly produced by the movement of the celestial spheres or the bodies fixed in them. → sphere …   English new terms dictionary

  • music of the spheres — noun an inaudible music that Pythagoras thought was produced by the celestial • Hypernyms: ↑music, ↑euphony * * * : an ethereal harmony supposed by the Pythagoreans to be produced by the vibration of the celestial spheres upon which the stars and …   Useful english dictionary

  • music of the spheres — See harmony of the spheres …   Philosophy dictionary

  • Music of the spheres — Music Mu sic, n. [F. musique, fr. L. musica, Gr. ? (sc. ?), any art over which the Muses presided, especially music, lyric poetry set and sung to music, fr. ? belonging to Muses or fine arts, fr. ? Muse.] 1. The science and the art of tones, or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Harmony — Har mo*ny (h[aum]r m[ o]*n[y^]), n.; pl. {Harmonies} ( n[i^]z). [F. harmonie, L. harmonia, Gr. armoni a joint, proportion, concord, fr. armo s a fitting or joining. See {Article}.] 1. The just adaptation of parts to each other, in any system or… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • of the spheres — The music, inaudible to mortal ears, produced according to Pythagoras by the motions of the celestial spheres in accordance with the laws of harmony ● sphere …   Useful english dictionary

  • music of the spheres — Date: 1609 an ethereal harmony thought by the Pythagoreans to be produced by the vibration of the celestial spheres …   New Collegiate Dictionary

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