'Perfect cadence' definitions:
Definition of 'Perfect cadence'
From: GCIDE
- Perfect \Per"fect\ (p[~e]r"f[e^]kt), a. [OE. parfit, OF. parfit, parfet, parfait, F. parfait, L. perfectus, p. p. of perficere to carry to the end, to perform, finish, perfect; per (see Per-) + facere to make, do. See Fact.]
- 1. Brought to consummation or completeness; completed; not defective nor redundant; having all the properties or qualities requisite to its nature and kind; without flaw, fault, or blemish; without error; mature; whole; pure; sound; right; correct. [1913 Webster]
- My strength is made perfect in weakness. --2 Cor. xii. 9. [1913 Webster]
- Three glorious suns, each one a perfect sun. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- I fear I am not in my perfect mind. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- O most entire perfect sacrifice! --Keble. [1913 Webster]
- God made thee perfect, not immutable. --Milton. [1913 Webster]
- 2. Well informed; certain; sure. [1913 Webster]
- I am perfect that the Pannonians are now in arms. --Shak. [1913 Webster]
- 3. (Bot.) Hermaphrodite; having both stamens and pistils; -- said of a flower. [1913 Webster]
- Perfect cadence (Mus.), a complete and satisfactory close in the harmony, as upon the tonic preceded by the dominant.
- Perfect chord (Mus.), a concord or union of sounds which is perfectly coalescent and agreeable to the ear, as the unison, octave, fifth, and fourth; a perfect consonance; a common chord in its original position of keynote, third, fifth, and octave.
- Perfect number (Arith.), a number equal to the sum of all its divisors; as, 28, whose aliquot parts, or divisors, are 14, 7, 4, 2, 1. See Abundant number, under Abundant. --Brande & C.
- Perfect tense (Gram.), a tense which expresses an act or state completed; also called the perfective tense. [1913 Webster]
- Syn: Finished; consummate; complete; entire; faultless; blameless; unblemished. [1913 Webster]