overture
overture — noun
1. a piece for orchestra played at the start of a longer stage work, especially an
a piece for orchestra played at the start of a longer stage work, especially an opera or ballet
The orchestra tuned quietly before the overture to Carmen began.
pattern: the overture to [opera]
A bright overture opened the school opera on Friday night.
During rehearsal, the conductor stopped the overture after four bars.
common verb: conduct or stop the overture
The overture ends just as the stage curtain starts rising.
From the lobby, we heard the overture and hurried to our seats.
- the overture to an opera
- play the overture
- hear the overture
- conduct the overture
- prelude
broader and can refer to many kinds of introductory music, not only theatre works
- introduction
a general word for the opening part of a work, less specifically musical
- opening piece
a plain descriptive phrase, less fixed and less formal than overture
- finale
the closing part rather than the opening part of a performance
Grammar Patterns
the overture to an opera
play the overture
conduct the overture
Usage Note
Usually followed by 'to' plus the name of the opera, ballet, or show. Unlike sense 3, this sense names an actual musical piece, not just an early sign of something later.
Common Mistakes
2. a first offer, message, or action meant to begin talks, friendship, business, or
a first offer, message, or action meant to begin talks, friendship, business, or romance
After months of silence, the union sent peace overtures to management.
collocation: peace overtures
Rosa ignored Tom's awkward overture at the office party.
romantic overture in singular form
The startup made several overtures to banks before finding a lender.
pattern: make overtures to someone
In spring, both countries exchanged overtures through Swiss diplomats.
Lena's friendly overture over coffee led to a new partnership.
- peace overtures
- romantic overtures
- make overtures to
- reject an overture
- exchange overtures
Grammar Patterns
make overtures to someone
peace overtures
romantic overtures
Usage Note
Often appears in formal news or political writing, especially in the plural. Common after verbs such as 'make', 'send', 'reject', and 'exchange', and often followed by 'to' plus the other side.
Common Mistakes
3. something that comes first and points ahead to what will happen later
something that comes first and points ahead to what will happen later
The mayor's tax cut was an overture to wider city reform.
pattern: an overture to something later
That dinner-table argument became the overture to years of family silence.
To many voters, the border speech sounded like an overture to war.
The film's opening scene serves as an overture to the family tragedy.
common frame: serve as an overture to
New playground rules were only an overture to tighter school control.
- an overture to war
- an overture to reform
- serve as an overture to
- only an overture to
- prelude
the closest formal synonym for an early stage leading to something else
- forerunner
stresses that something comes before and signals what is next
- lead-in
a less formal term for something that introduces what follows
- aftermath
what comes after an event rather than before it
Grammar Patterns
an overture to something
serve as an overture to
be only an overture to
Usage Note
Usually singular and commonly followed by 'to'. Distinguish from sense 2, where somebody deliberately reaches out to another person or group; this sense can describe any early event that prepares the way for what follows.
Common Mistakes
overture — verb
1. to present something as the first offer in formal discussion
to present something as the first offer in formal discussion
The old report says the envoy overtured peace terms in March.
rare formal verb: overture + terms
Town records show councillors overtured new market terms that winter.
The letter shows that rebels overtured safe passage for villagers.
Court papers say the captain overtured a truce before sunrise.
historical setting with overture + truce
- overture peace terms
- overture a truce
- overture safe passage
- withdraw
to take back a proposal instead of putting it forward
Grammar Patterns
overture + terms/truce/plan
overture + proposal + to someone
Usage Note
Very rare in modern English and mostly seen in historical, legal, or literary writing. The object is usually the proposal itself, such as terms, a truce, or another plan; sense 2 instead takes the person or group approached as the object.
Common Mistakes
2. to approach a person or group with a first offer or peace move
to approach a person or group with a first offer or peace move
Old newspapers say the king overtured his rivals before the harvest.
rare formal verb: overture + person
The envoy overtured the border chiefs through a church messenger.
Archive letters show merchants overtured the crown for river trade rights.
pattern: overture + person + for something
The general quietly overtured the rebels after the bridge attack.
- overture a rival
- overture the rebels
- overture the crown
- avoid
to stay away from contact instead of opening discussion
Grammar Patterns
overture + person/group
overture + person + for/about something
Usage Note
Also very rare and chiefly historical. Here the direct object is the person, side, or group being approached, often with a phrase naming the hoped-for agreement. Modern English usually prefers 'make overtures to someone'.
Common Mistakes
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/2
'Overture' is a formal word for a first move meant to open a relationship, talk, or agreement. 'Approach' is broader and works in many ordinary situations, so it is the safest everyday choice. 'Advance' is often used for romantic or sexual interest, and can sound unwanted. 'Feeler' stresses caution: you test the other side before committing yourself. 'Proposal' focuses more on the actual plan than on the opening contact. So a government might send peace overtures, a shy student might make an awkward advance, and a manager might put a written proposal on the table.
Etymology
English took this word in the Middle English period from Anglo-French, where it meant an opening. It goes back to a Vulgar Latin form, *opertura, related to Latin apertura, which also gave English the word 'aperture'. The idea of an opening explains both the musical sense and the later sense of making the first move toward someone or something.