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Canticle vs Descant - What's the difference?

canticle | descant | Related terms |

As nouns the difference between canticle and descant

is that canticle is a chant, hymn or song, especially a nonmetrical one, with words from a biblical text while descant is a lengthy discourse on a subject.

As a verb descant is

to discuss at length.

canticle

English

Noun

(wikipedia canticle) (en noun)
  • a chant, hymn or song, especially a nonmetrical one, with words from a biblical text

    • Usage notes

    * The Psalms are not considered to be canticles

    descant

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A lengthy discourse on a subject
  • * De Quincey
    • Upon that simplest of themes how magnificent a descant !
  • (music) a counterpoint melody sung or played above the theme

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To discuss at length.
  • *{{quote-book, year=1913, author=
    • , title=Lord Stranleigh Abroad , chapter=4 citation , passage=“… This is a surprise attack, and I’d no wish that the garrison, forewarned, should escape. I am sure, Lord Stranleigh, that he has been descanting on the distraction of the woods and the camp, or perhaps the metropolitan dissipation of Philadelphia, …”}}
  • To sing or play a descant.

    • Quotations

    * 1919, , Duckworth, hardback edition, page 121 *: Involving some interesting, intellectual trips, she was descanting lightly to right and left.

    Anagrams

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