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Tune vs Fettle - What's the difference?

tune | fettle |

As nouns the difference between tune and fettle

is that tune is a melody while fettle is a state of proper physical condition; kilter or trim.

As verbs the difference between tune and fettle

is that tune is to modify a musical instrument so that it produces the correct pitches while fettle is (northern england) to sort out, to fix, to mend, to repair.

tune

English

(wikipedia tune)

Noun

(en noun)
  • A melody.
  • A song, or short musical composition.
  • (informal) The act of tuning or maintenance.
  • Your engine needs a good tune .
  • The state or condition of being correctly tuned.
  • Your engine is now in tune .
    This piano is not in tune .
  • (UK, slang) A very good song.
  • You heard the new Rizzle Kicks song? —Mate, that is a tune !
  • (obsolete) A sound; a note; a tone.
  • * Shakespeare
  • the tune of your voices
  • (obsolete) Order; harmony; concord.
  • * John Locke
  • A child will learn three times as much when he is in tune , as when he is dragged unwillingly to [his task].

    Derived terms

    * change one's tune * in tune * out of tune * to the tune of * carry a tune

    Verb

    (tun)
  • To modify a musical instrument so that it produces the correct pitches.
  • to tune a piano or a violin
  • * Dryden
  • Tune your harps.
  • To adjust a mechanical, electric or electronic device (such as a radio or a car engine) so that it functions optimally.
  • To make more precise, intense, or effective; to put into a proper state or disposition.
  • (Shakespeare)
  • To give tone to; to attune; to adapt in style of music; to make harmonious.
  • * Milton
  • For now to sorrow must I tune my song.
  • To sing with melody or harmony.
  • * Milton
  • Fountains, and ye, that warble, as ye flow, / Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise.
  • (South Africa, slang, transitive) To cheek; to be impudent towards.
  • Are you tuning me?

    Derived terms

    * fine-tune * stay tuned * tune in * * tuner * tune out * tune up

    Anagrams

    * ----

    fettle

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A state of proper physical condition; kilter or trim.
  • One's mental state; spirits.
  • Sand used to line a furnace.
  • (Geordie, Cumbria) A person's mood or state, often assuming the worst.
  • What's yer fettle marra?
  • (ceramics) a seam line left by the meeting of mold pieces.
  • (UK, dialect) The act of fettling.
  • (Wright)

    Usage notes

    Outside of dialects, this term is a , found only in the phrase (m).

    Derived terms

    * in fine fettle

    Verb

  • (Northern England) To sort out, to fix, to mend, to repair.
  • (Carlyle)
  • To make preparations; to put things in order; to do trifling business.
  • (Bishop Hall)
  • To line the hearth of a furnace with sand prior to pouring molten metal.
  • (Geordie) To be upset or in a bad mood.
  • Divint fettle yersel ower that!
  • In ceramics, to remove (as by sanding) the seam lines left by the meeting of two molds.
  • (archaic) To prepare.
  • * 1595 , William Shakespeare, Romeo and Juliet
  • But fettle your fine joints 'gainst Thursday next...

    Derived terms

    * fettler * fettling

    See also

    * fash

    References

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