accordion
(əˈkɔːdɪən)
[f. It. accord-are to attune an instrument, to play in unison: the termination imitates words like clarion.]
a. A portable musical hand-instrument invented in 1829 by Damian at Vienna (Grove), consisting of a small pair of bellows and a range of keys, which on being pressed admit wind to metal reeds. Now also piano accordion, an improved type of accordion, with a piano-keyboard instead of buttons for producing the notes.
| 1831 Harmonicon Mar. 56/1 The Accordion is about nine inches long, four wide, and about the same in depth; not unlike a small tea-caddy in appearance. It is made after the manner of a bellows, and the tone is produced by raising and lowering the upper part, at the same time pressing one of the ivory keys, of which there are five on those commonly used. 1839 Inventors' Advocate 17 Aug. 12/2 A daily musical performance on Reisner's Improved Accordion. 1842 Dickens in Forster Life iii. iv. 105 I have bought another accordion. The steward lent me one on the passage out and I regaled the ladies' cabin with my performances. 1860 Dickens Uncomm. Trav. in All Year Round 10 Mar. 464/1 It was real talent!..a kind of piano-accordion, played by a young girl. 1864 Engel Music Anc. Nat. 18 Each of these tubes contains a small metallic tongue, like the so-called free-reed stops of our organ, or like our accordion. 1878 Prout in Grove Dict. Mus. I. 40 The æolina may be regarded as the first germ of the Accordion and Concertina. 1938 Oxf. Compan. Mus. 788/1 The application of the..piano keyboard (hence the term ‘Piano Accordion’) was made by Bouton, of Paris, in 1852. 1958 Listener 25 Sept. 484/3 The unexpected and ingenious completion of the wind ensemble of the Nonet with a piano-accordion. |
b. attrib. and Comb., having a series of folds like those of the bellows of an accordion, as accordion door, accordion pleat, accordion pleating, accordion skirt, accordion wall, accordion window; accordion-plaited, accordion-pleated adjs.
| 1885 Catal. Cookery & Food Exhib. x, The Permanent Accordion Pleating Manufacturing Company. 1888 Daily News 25 Oct. 2/6 The sleeves..are made of..nun's-veiling, arranged in accordion pleats. 1895 [see pleated ppl. a.]. 1899 Howells Ragged Lady xvii, She had on an accordion skirt. 1905 Smart Set Oct. 29/1 A portly front, an accordeon-plaited chin, a thick, oily forehead. 1936 Times 18 Jan. 9/5 The skilful use of different planes at the corner accordion windows and fluting on the tower. 1959 ‘S. Ransome’ I'll die for You i. 17 Through the wide-open accordion door..he saw her. 1959 I. Ross Image Merchants (1960) iv. 67 The accordion wall was always open between their two..offices. 1962 Times 22 Jan. 13/3 Accordion-pleated chiffons. |