fife
4
9.3
- noun
- /faɪf/
:
flauta
- The fife accompanied the soldiers' march, filling the air with its sharp, high-pitched sound.
- fife and drum
Examples
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From its dual origins with drums and fifes in infantry units (foot soldiers) and trumpets in the cavalry (horse-mounted troops), music has served crucial roles in the U.S. military from pre-Revolutionary War times.
Academic text (2015) -
She was then presented for the people's acceptance, amidst a deafening noise of organs, fifes, trumpets, drums, and bells.
Blog text (5) -
Can I have my fife back?
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Anyhow, I just came to show you the fife.
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Not much has been written about ancient fife and drum corps, so I am always hopeful when something new surfaces.
Blog text (24) -
When he raised them again, the fife was in the opposite direction, requiring a different fingering and technique.
Blog text (22) -
At first, the music sounds like a military march, but the fife has an exaggerated and somewhat satirical air.
Academic text (1991) -
These were probably simple fife-and-drum type bands, unable to play orchestrated compositions.
Academic text (1991) -
A boy not much older than your son Kipp banged away on it while another man marched behind it, tootling away on a fife.
Fiction book (1994) -
Fifes were gradually added to provide melodic interest to the drums in the fifteenth century, with each of the drumbeats having specific fife tunes associated with it.
Academic text (2015)
Synonyms
5
7.5
A small flute that sounds much higher than a regular flute
Antonyms
Compounds
- Specialized
1
9.9
A low fence around a sailing ship's mast that holds ropes or supports people
Surface Forms
Etymology
The word fife comes from an old German word pfeife meaning 'pipe' or 'whistle', and it is like the English word pipe. Think of a tiny whistle or pipe — that's why a fife is a small, high flute with a sharp sound often played with drums.