serenade (serenad)

[Formerly also sere nate (= D. G. Dan. serenade = Sw. serenad ); OF. serenade , F. sérénade = Sp. Pg. serenata = It. serenata , "music given under gentle womens windowes in a morning or evening" (Florio) (cf. Pr. serena , a serenade), serenare , make serene, sere no , serene: see serenel , and cf. se- rene2, soiree.] 1. In music , an evening song; especially, such a song sung by a lover at the window of his lady. Shall I the neighbours' nightly rest invade At her deaf doors with some vile serenade ? Dryden, tr. of Persius's Satires, v. 239. Be not loud, but pathetic; for it is a serenade to a damsel in bed, and not to the Man in the Moon. Long fellow , Spanish Student, i. 2. 2. An instrumental piece resembling such a song; a nocturne.-3. Same as serenata. serenade (ser-e-nad'), v.; pret. and pp. sere naded, ppr. serenading. [ Oh, the fiddles, the fiddles! I sent for them hither to oblige the women, not to offend 'em; for I intend to sere nade the whole Park to-night. Wycherley, Love in a Wood, ii. 1. II. in trans. To perform serenades or nocturnal music. What, I suppose, you have been serenading too! Eh, disturbing some peaceable neighbourhood with villainous catgut and lascivious piping! Sheridan, The Duenna, i. 3. God grant he may soon be married, for then shall all this serenading cease. Long fellow, Spanish Student, i. 2. serenader (ser-e-na'der), 'der), n. [ music. As winds come whispering lightly from the west, Ki ing, not ruffling, the blue deep's serene . Byron, Childe Harold, ii. 70. How beautiful is night!. No mist obscures, nor cloud, nor speck, nor stain Breaks the serene of heaven. Southey , Thalaba, i. 1. 2. Serenity; placidity; tranquillity; calmne . [Rare.] The serene of heartfelt happine has little of adventure in it. Brooke , Fool of Quality, II. 241. (Davies.) My body is cleft by these wedges of pains From my spirit's serene. Mrs. Browning , Rhapsody of Life's Progre . serenel ( sē -rēn'), v. t.; pret. and pp. serened, ppr. serening . [ IMG:content-0652.png:[blocks in formation]