octaves

Noun

octave (plural octaves)

1. An interval of twelve semitones spanning eight degrees of the diatonic scale, representing a doubling or halving in pitch frequency.
   • The melody jumps up an octave at the beginning, then later drops back down an octave.
2. The pitch an octave higher than a given pitch.
   • The bass starts on a low E, and the tenor comes in on the octave.
3. A coupler on an organ which allows the organist to sound the note an octave above the note of the key pressed (cf sub-octave)
4. A poetic stanza consisting of eight lines; usually used as one part of a sonnet.
   • With mournful melody it continued this octave.a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London...
5. The eighth defensive position, with the sword hand held at waist height, and the tip of the sword out straight at knee level.
   • If they always do a lateral parry quarte, and never a semicircular octave, that gives you an opening.2009, Ray Finkleman, (Please provide the book title or journal name)
6. The day that is one week after a feast day in the Latin rite of the Catholic Church.
   • […] the Chamberlains' records of the companies' visits to their towns are, for the most part, not precisely dates, but merely group them together […] within their annual accounting period which normally […] ran from Michaelmas (29 September) to Michaelmas, or its octave (6 October).2000, John Southworth, Shakespeare the Player

See all 12 meanings of octave