Crescendo vs Increase - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between crescendo and increase

is that crescendo is an instruction to play gradually more loudly, denoted by a long, narrow angle with its apex on the left ( < ) while increase is an amount by which a quantity is increased.

As verbs the difference between crescendo and increase

is that crescendo is to increase in intensity, to reach or head for a crescendo while increase is to become larger.

crescendo

English

Alternative forms

Noun

(label) An instruction to play gradually more loudly, denoted by a long, narrow angle with its apex on the left ( < ).

(label) A gradual increase of anything, especially to a dramatic climax.

Their fighting rose in a fearsome crescendo.

The climax of a gradual increase.

Their arguing rose to a fearsome crescendo.

* {{quote-news

, year=2011 , date=October 20 , author=Michael da Silva , title=Stoke 3 - 0 Macc Tel-Aviv , work=BBC Sport citation , page= , passage=With the Stoke supporters jeering Ziv's every subsequent touch, the pantomime atmosphere created by the home crowd reached a crescendo when Ziv was shown a straight red shortly after the break in extraordinary circumstances.}}

Usage notes

* The musical sense indicates that the figurative sense is an increase rather than the climax of the increase. The use of this word to mean the climax of an increase is nonstandard but commonplace.

Antonyms

* (music) decrescendo, diminuendo * (the climax of a gradual increase) climax, conclusion

Verb

(es)

To increase in intensity, to reach or head for a crescendo.

The band crescendoed and then suddenly went silent.

----

increase

English

Alternative forms

* encrease

Verb

(increas)

(of a quantity) To become larger.

* Bible, Genesis vii. 17

The waters increased and bare up the ark.

* Shakespeare

The heavens forbid / But that our loves and comforts should increase , / Even as our days do grow!

To make (a quantity) larger.

* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Fenella Saunders, magazine=(American Scientist)

, title= Tiny Lenses See the Big Picture , passage=The single-imaging optic of the mammalian eye offers some distinct visual advantages. Such lenses can take in photons from a wide range of angles, increasing light sensitivity. They also have high spatial resolution, resolving incoming images in minute detail.}}

To multiply by the production of young; to be fertile, fruitful, or prolific.

* Sir M. Hale

Fishes are more numerous of increasing than beasts or birds, as appears by their numerous spawn.

(astronomy) To become more nearly full; to show more of the surface; to wax.

The Moon increases .

Synonyms

* (become larger) go up, grow, rise, soar (rapidly), shoot up (rapidly) * (make larger) increment, raise, (informal) up

Antonyms

* (become larger) decrease, drop, fall, go down, plummet (rapidly), plunge (rapidly), reduce, shrink, sink * (make larger) cut, decrease, decrement, lower, reduce

Derived terms

* increasable

Noun

(en noun)

An amount by which a quantity is increased.

* {{quote-magazine, year=2013, month=July-August, author= Philip J. Bushnell

, magazine=(American Scientist), title= Solvents, Ethanol, Car Crashes & Tolerance , passage=Surprisingly, this analysis revealed that acute exposure to solvent vapors at concentrations below those associated with long-term effects appears to increase the risk of a fatal automobile accident. Furthermore, this increase in risk is comparable to the risk of death from leukemia after long-term exposure to benzene, another solvent, which has the well-known property of causing this type of cancer.}}

For a quantity, the act or process of becoming larger

(knitting) The creation of one or more new stitches; see .

Synonyms

* (amount by which a quantity is increased) gain, increment, raise, rise

Antonyms

* (amount by which a quantity is increased) cut, decrease, decrement, drop, fall, loss, lowering, reduction, shrinkage

External links

* * * English ergative verbs English heteronyms 1000 English basic words