- barrel organ
- noun Date: 1772 an instrument for producing music by the action of a revolving cylinder studded with pegs on a series of valves that admit air from a bellows to a set of pipes
New Collegiate Dictionary. 2001.
barrel organ
Look at other dictionaries:
Barrel organ — Organ Or gan, n. [L. organum, Gr. ?; akin to ? work, and E. work: cf. F. organe. See {Work}, and cf. {Orgue}, {Orgy}.] [1913 Webster] 1. An instrument or medium by which some important action is performed, or an important end accomplished; as,… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
Barrel organ — Barrel Bar rel (b[a^]r r[e^]l), n.[OE. barel, F. baril, prob. fr. barre bar. Cf. {Barricade}.] 1. A round vessel or cask, of greater length than breadth, and bulging in the middle, made of staves bound with hoops, and having flat ends or heads;… … The Collaborative International Dictionary of English
barrel organ — barrel organs N COUNT A barrel organ is a large machine that plays music when you turn the handle on the side. Barrel organs used to be played in the street to entertain people … English dictionary
barrel organ — ► NOUN ▪ a small pipe organ that plays a preset tune when a handle is turned … English terms dictionary
barrel organ — n. a mechanical musical instrument having a cylinder studded with pins which open pipe valves or strike metal tongues when the cylinder is revolved, producing a tune; hand organ … English World dictionary
Barrel Organ — [englisch, bærl ɔːgən], Drehorgel … Universal-Lexikon
barrel organ — barrel .organ n a musical instrument that you play by turning a handle, often used on the streets in order to get money, especially in the past … Dictionary of contemporary English
barrel organ — noun count a large instrument that plays music when the handle is turned, used in the past to entertain people in the street … Usage of the words and phrases in modern English
Barrel organ — A barrel organ player in Vienna, Austria. A bar … Wikipedia
barrel organ — noun a musical instrument that makes music by rotation of a cylinder studded with pegs • Syn: ↑grind organ, ↑hand organ, ↑hurdy gurdy, ↑hurdy gurdy, ↑street organ • Topics: ↑music • Hyperny … Useful english dictionary
barrel organ — UK / US noun [countable] Word forms barrel organ : singular barrel organ plural barrel organs a large instrument that plays music when the handle is turned, used in the past to entertain people in the street … English dictionary
