Hypertext Webster Gateway: "staccato"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Staccato \Stac*ca"to\, a. [It., p. p. of staccere, equivalent to
distaccare. See {Detach}.]
1. (Mus.) Disconnected; separated; distinct; -- a direction
to perform the notes of a passage in a short, distinct,
and pointed manner. It is opposed to {legato}, and often
indicated by heavy accents written over or under the
notes, or by dots when the performance is to be less
distinct and emphatic.
2. Expressed in a brief, pointed manner.
Staccato and peremptory [literary criticism]. --G.
Eliot.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
staccato
adj : marked by or composed of disconnected parts or sounds;
(music) cut short crisply; "staccato applause"; "a
staccato command"; "staccato notes" [syn: {disconnected}]
[ant: {legato}]
adv : separating the notes; in music; "play this staccato, please"
[ant: {legato}]
Additional Hypertext Webster Gateway Lookup
Gateway by dict@stokkie.net
stock only wrote the gateway and does not have any control over the contents;
see the Webster Gateway FAQ,
and also the Back-end/database links and credits.