sb. and a. Also 6 unisonne, vnisone, unizon (vnisson), 7 unisone. [a. OF. unison (Oresme), later and mod.F. unisson (16th c.), or ad. late L. unison-us (whence It., Sp., and Pg. unisono (also as sb.), It. † unissono, Sp. unison) of the same sound as something else, f. L. ūni- UNI- and sonus SOUND sb.3]
The apparently early example in the York Mystery Plays, xxv. 262, is probably a scribal error for ‘vrysoune’ (= orison).
A. sb. 1. Mus. and Acoustics. a. A sound or note of the same pitch as another; also loosely, a note taken as a starting-point from which intervals are reckoned. Now rare, or taken as transf. from b.
1574. F. Ke, trans. A. Le Roy’s Instr. Lute, 17. You must … haue recourse to an other stryng, that maketh the vnisson with that.
1609. Douland, Ornithoparcus’ Microl., 17. An Vnison is … a Voyce so qualified, that it neither tendeth to depth nor to height.
1660. Boyle, New Experiments Phys. Mech., 211. A string tun’d (as Musicians speak …) to an Unison with it.
1694. Holder, Harmony, iv. 54. By Unison is meant, sometimes the Habitude or Ration of Equality of two Notes compared together, being of the very same Tune. Sometimes (as here) for the given single Note to which the Distance, or the Rations of other Intervals are compared.
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Interval, Unisons, ’tis plain, cannot possibly have any Variety.
1881. Nature, XXIV. 358. When the higher note has reached a point about half-way between unison and the octave note.
transf. 1677. Phil. Trans., XVIII. 840. Not the whole of that other string doth thus tremble, but the several parts severally, according as they are Unisons to the whole.
fig. 1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1792), I. 181. The muscles of Harry’s expressive countenance, like an equally-tuned instrument, uttered unisons to every word he heard.
b. Identity in pitch of two or more sounds or notes; the agreement or consonance of the sounds of two or more bodies vibrating at equal rates; the relation of two notes of the same pitch reckoned as one of the musical ‘intervals.’
1575. Gascoigne, Weedes, Wks. 1907, I. 381. At Musickes sacred sounde, my fansies eft begonne, In concordes, discordes, notes and cliffes, in tunes of unisonne.
1596. Bathe, Brief Introd. Skill of Song, C. A concord is divided into an Vnizon, Third, Fift, Sixt [etc.].
1626. Bacon, Sylva, § 103. The Diapason or Eight in Music is the sweetest Concord; insomuch as it is in effect an Unison.
1694. [see a].
1728. Chambers, Cycl., s.v. Octave, The most simple Perception the Soul can have of true Sounds, is that of Unison.
1749. J. Mason, Numbers in Poet. Comp., 21. Those [metrical] Feet … are in Proportion of the Unison in Musick…. And they are said to answer to the Unison.
1806. Callcott, Mus. Gram., II. i. 90. The Unison,… although it cannot properly be reckoned an Interval, is always considered as such.
1873. Banister, Music, § 103. Two, or more, perfect 5ths, perfect 8ves, or perfect unisons, are forbidden between the same two parts.
1896. W. G. Woolcombe, Pract. Work Physics, III. Pref. The nearest approach to unison between two musical notes.
c. A combination of melodies at the same pitch (or, loosely, one or more octaves apart) in different parts, i.e., performed by different voices or instruments, Also in fig. context.
In quot. 1730 used loosely for each of such melodies (in this case on different sets of strings of the same instrument: cf. unison string in 5).
[1724. Short Explic. For. Wds. in Mus. Bks., Unissono, a Unison…. This word is also used when in Symphonies of Songs Two Violins both play the same Thing, or the Violin and Song, or the Bass and Song, &c.]
1730. in Abridgm. Specif. Patents, Music (1871), 1. A new invented harpsichord upon which (having only two sets of strings) may be performed either one or two unisons, or two unisons & one octave together.
1795. Mason, Ch. Music, i. 82. Every ear felt the stupendous effect both of unison and harmony.
1799. Kollmann, Ess. Mus. Composition, iii. 18. In Unisons, or passages where all instruments play the same melody, though in different Octaves.
1855. Pusey, Doctr. Real Presence, 721. When the Holy Spirit … swept over the discordant strings of human tongues and thoughts … and blended all their varying notes into one holy unison of truth.
1869. Ouseley, Counterp., xiv. 83. When the number of parts exceeds four, unisons may be used.
d. In the phrase in (…) unison (in sense b or c).
1616. W. Browne, Brit. Past., II. ii. 546. Not suffering her shrill waters, as they run, Tun’d with a whistling gale in unison.
1749. J. Mason, Numbers in Poet. Comp., 21. Two Strings of equal Length (supposing their respective Tensions and Thickness to be equal) being put in Motion, will be in Unison, or give exactly one and the same Sound.
1765. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, VII. xliii. The nymphs joined in unison, and their swains an octave below them.
1795. Mason, Ch. Music, iii. 208. What old Calvin meant to be sung in unison, they chose should be performed in counterpoint, or in four parts.
1856. Mrs. C. Clarke, trans. Berlioz’ Instrument., 32. To violoncellos … is ordinarily given the part of the double bass, which they double in the octave above or in unison.
1873. Hale, In His Name, vi. 58. As the three voices, in strict unison, closed the little song.
transf. 1828. Scott, F. M. Perth, xxvii. The cry from the numberless boats … rose in wild unison up to the Tom-an-Lonach.
1876. Holland, Seven Oaks, xi. 149. ‘Not at all,’ was responded almost in unison.
e. ellipt. for ‘unison string’ (see 5).
1820. Q. Mus. Mag., II. 306. He tried the octaves, and found them … all flat…; the unisons, generally speaking, were in tune.
1889. [see unison-tuning in 5].
2. A single unvaried tone; a monotone. ? Obs.
1609. Douland, Ornithoparcus’ Microl., 26. The prayers … are read in an Vnison.
1742. Pope, Dunc., IV. 612. Lost was the Nation’s Sense, nor could be found, While the long solemn Unison [sc. a yawn] went round.
3. A union or combination of concordant sounds; a united and unanimous declaration or utterance.
1806. Wordsw., ‘Loud is the Vale,’ 3. A mighty unison of streams! Of all her Voices, One!
1871. Palgrave, Lyr. Poems, 135. That cry has been heard By a nation’s unison swelled.
4. fig. a. Something perfectly agreeing or consonant with another; an utterance or expression of perfect agreement or assent; something that responds sympathetically as a string tuned to a corresponding note. Now rare or Obs.
1650. Bulwer, Anthropomet., 63. A forehead which keeps its natural magnitude is one of the Unisons of the face.
1658. Gurnall, Chr. in Arm., II. 205. Adam indeed had such a righteousnesse made to his hand, his heart and the Law were unisons.
1702. C. Mather, Magh. Chr., III. III. (1852), 539. He thought that ministers and market-men were not unisons.
1796. Eliza Hamilton, Lett. Hindoo Rajah (1811), II. 218. The tender sigh … in vibrating on the ears of Miss Ardent, seemed to touch some pleasant unison, that overspread her countenance with a smile.
1812. Coleridge, in Lit. Rem. (1836), I. 375. To make the intellectual faith a fair analogon or unison of the vital faith.
b. Exact or perfect agreement, concord, or harmony; harmonious combination or union.
1654. R. Whitlock, Ζωοτομια, 454. Physitians … are at Discord the best, but at Unisons the worst; for they do all so disagree [etc.].
1674. Playford, Skill Mus., A 5. Friendship the Vnison of well tun’d Hearts.
1744. Thomson, Summer (ed. 5), 1375. Social Friends, Attun’d to happy Unison of Soul,… Now call’d abroad enjoy the falling Day.
1796. Mme. D’Arblay, Camilla, I. 4. This exemplary couple was bound to each other by the most perfect unison of character.
1819. Keats, Vis. Hyperion, I. 418. Nor could my eyes And ears act with that unison of sense Which marries sweet sound with the grace of form.
1858. Sears, Athan., ix. 77. Thence life and health spread through our animal frames, restoring them to a unison with divine laws.
1871. Farrar, Witn. Hist., v. 183. That beautiful unison of noble manhood, stainless womanhood, joyous infancy, and uncontaminated youth.
† c. At unison (also at … unisons), = next. Obs.
1665. Glanvill, Scepsis Sci., xiii. 76. Reason and Faith are at perfect Unisons.
1772. Test Filial Duty, II. 173. The sensations of friendship have not enough of fire in them, to warm the heart into that proper temperature, requisite to render it at unison with the delirium of lovers. Ibid., 238. Set all my affections at unison.
d. In unison, in agreement or harmony, concordant, consonant, harmonious. Freq. in unison with.
1780. Cowper, Parrot, 36. Each character in ev’ry part Sustain’d with so much grace and art, And both in unison.
1782. V. Knox, Ess., xxviii. ¶ 8. It is the more tranquil style which is most frequently in unison with our minds.
1815. Jane Austen, Emma, xli. It was all in unison; words, conduct, discretion and indiscretion told the same story.
1836. W. Irving, Astoria, I. 287. A mode of redress perfectly in unison with the character of the man.
1860. Pusey, Min. Proph., 26. Dumb inanimate nature seems to rejoice and to be in unison with our sense of joy.
1879. Farrar, St. Paul, I. 312. When such allies were in unison … it was easy to strike a deadly blow at the Nazarenes.
5. attrib.: unison stop, (a) in an organ, a stop of the same pitch as the diapasons; (b) in a harpsichord (see quot. 1896); unison string, in a pianoforte or other instrument, a string tuned to the same pitch as another (or, loosely, to a pitch an octave higher); unison tune, a tune to be sung in unison, as distinct from harmony or ‘parts’; unison-tuning, the tuning of strings (of a pianoforte, etc.) in unison.
1840. Penny Cycl., XVI. 493/1. Trumpet and Oboe stops, being what are called *unison stops,… take their lengths from the open diapason.
1896. A. J. Hipkins, Pianoforte, 122. Unison Stop, properly the second foundation register in a harpsichord; the shorter of the unison strings in a double keyboard one, and sounding on the lower keyboard only.
1685. Boyle, Effects Motion, vii. 80. A certain impulse of Air, made by one of the *Unison-strings of a musical Instrument, may suffice to produce a visible motion in another.
1732. Berkeley, Alciphr., III. § 4. I feel an affection in my soul, like the trembling of one lute, upon striking the unison strings of another.
1896. [see unison stop above].
1869. Pall Mall G., 7 July, 12/2. Mr. John Goss, Mr. E. J. Hopkins, and Mr. J. Baptiste Calkin have composed *unison tunes for this volume.
1889. Brinsmead, Hist. Pianoforte, 186. The same plan as that for learning the *unison-tuning may be adopted for the octave, but care must be taken that the unison of the note is tuned afterwards.
B. adj. † 1. Sounding at once or together. Obs.–1
1582. Stanyhurst, Æneis, III. (Arb.), 73. Thus God Apollo cryed; but wee with an vnison outcrye … demaunded, what place God Phœbus apoincted.
† b. fig. United and consenting, as the pronouncement of a number of persons; expressing complete agreement; unanimous, concordant, consonant, harmonious. Obs.
1650. W. Charleton, Paradoxes, Prol. f 4 b. By the unisone vote of the multitude.
1651. H. L’Estrange, Answ. Mrq. Worcester, 51. Is the Church of Rome so unison, so all of a piece, as to afford no jarres?
a. 1662. Heylyn, Laud, II. (1671), 447. The first branch [of a Bill] was carried in the Negative by … an Unison-consent in the Lords then present.
1760–2. Goldsm., Cit. W., xxx. I only beg you’ll endeavour to make your souls unison with mine.
† c. Concordant or consonant to something. Obs.
1710. R. Ward, Life H. More, 234. Some Circumstances…, or Particulars of his Writings, are not so unison to my Slower Faculties.
1760–72. H. Brooke, Fool of Qual. (1792), V. 10. This doctrine sounded unison to the secret feelings of our young Englishman.
† d. Like-sounding; equivalent. Obs.–1
1759. Sterne, Tr. Shandy, I. xix. Tristram!—Melancholy dissyllable of sound! which, to his ears, was unison to Nincompoop.
2. Mus. and Acoustics. Identical in pitch; singing, sounding, etc., in unison; unisonal, unisonous. Now rare or Obs.
1614. Jackson, Creed, III. xviii. § 4. As a string, though untouched, and unable to begin motion of itself, will yet raise it selfe to an vnison voice.
1622. Peacham, Compl. Gent., xi. 104. Two Lutes of equall size being laid vpon a Table, and tuned Vnison, or alike in … any … string; the one stricken, the other untouched shall answer it.
1667. Milton, P. L., VII. 599. All sounds on Fret by String or Golden Wire Temper’d soft Tunings, intermixt with Voice Choral or Unison.
1694. Holder, Harmony, iv. 51. The Unison Concord … is no Space or Interval, but an Identity of Tune.
1721. A. Malcolm, Treat. Mus., 580. When Two Voices sing together one Song, ’tis more agreeable that they be 8ve than unison with one another, in every Note.
1893. S. Gee, Auscult. & Percussion (ed. 4), I. iii. 69. A unison vibration, convibration, or consonance of the wall is required to the production of tone.
