grind organ

9.9

A small music machine you turn by hand to play tunes from a cylinder with pegs

noun
/ɡraɪnd ˈɔrɡən/

Archaic

: órgano de manivela

With each turn of the handle, the grind organ filled the market square with cheerful tunes.

Examples

The street musician played a grind organ that drew a small crowd of children.
Antique collectors often seek rare grind organs for their historical value.
The grind organ played a cheerful tune.
She loves the sound of the grind organ.
The street musician played a grind organ that drew a small crowd of children.
With each turn of the handle, the grind organ filled the market square with cheerful tunes.
Antique collectors often seek rare grind organs for their historical value.

Synonyms

organ

vsgrind organ

94 5.3

A large keyboard instrument that makes sound using air or electricity

is a mechanical instrument that makes music by a pegged cylinder

barrel organ

vsgrind organ

Archaic

8.6

A machine that makes music when you turn a handle

is often operated by turning a handle that spins the pegged cylinder

hand organ

vsgrind organ

Archaic

8.8

A small portable instrument that plays music when you turn a handle

is not specifically portable and focuses on cylinder rotation

Surface Forms

grind organ singular

grind organs plural

Morphology

grind + organ

The component 'grind' conveys a mechanical, repetitive action and 'organ' identifies a musical instrument, so a B1 learner could infer this refers to some kind of mechanically operated organ. However, the precise sense — a barrel-like instrument with a rotating cylinder and pegs operated by a crank — is not directly derivable from the parts, making the meaning only partially predictable without exposure.

Etymology

Grind organ comes from street machines where someone turns a handle and a cylinder with small pegs rubs against a metal comb to make tunes. Because the sound comes from that turning and a kind of 'grinding' action, the name links the motion to the instrument that plays 'music'.