tune
    n 1: a succession of notes forming a distinctive sequence; "she
         was humming an air from Beethoven" [syn: tune, melody,
         air, strain, melodic line, line, melodic phrase]
    2: the property of producing accurately a note of a given pitch;
       "he cannot sing in tune"; "the clarinet was out of tune"
    3: the adjustment of a radio receiver or other circuit to a
       required frequency
    v 1: adjust for (better) functioning; "tune the engine" [syn:
         tune, tune up]
    2: adjust the pitches of (musical instruments); "My piano needs
       to be tuned" [syn: tune, tune up] [ant: untune]

Tune \Tune\ (t[=u]n), v. i.
   1. To form one sound to another; to form accordant musical
      sounds.
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            Whilst tuning to the water's fall,
            The small birds sang to her.          --Drayton.
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   2. To utter inarticulate harmony with the voice; to sing
      without pronouncing words; to hum. [R.]
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Tune \Tune\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Tuned (t[=u]nd); p. pr. & vb.
   n. Tuning.]
   1. To put into a state adapted to produce the proper sounds;
      to harmonize, to cause to be in tune; to correct the tone
      of; as, to tune a piano or a violin. " Tune your harps."
      --Dryden.
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   2. To give tone to; to attune; to adapt in style of music; to
      make harmonious.
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            For now to sorrow must I tune my song. --Milton.
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   3. To sing with melody or harmony.
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            Fountains, and ye, that warble, as ye flow,
            Melodious murmurs, warbling tune his praise.
                                                  --Milton.
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   4. To put into a proper state or disposition. --Shak.
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Tune \Tune\ (t[=u]n), n. [A variant of tone.]
   1. A sound; a note; a tone. "The tune of your voices."
      --Shak.
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   2. (Mus.)
      (a) A rhythmical, melodious, symmetrical series of tones
          for one voice or instrument, or for any number of
          voices or instruments in unison, or two or more such
          series forming parts in harmony; a melody; an air; as,
          a merry tune; a mournful tune; a slow tune; a psalm
          tune. See Air.
      (b) The state of giving the proper sound or sounds; just
          intonation; harmonious accordance; pitch of the voice
          or an instrument; adjustment of the parts of an
          instrument so as to harmonize with itself or with
          others; as, the piano, or the organ, is not in tune.
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                Like sweet bells jangled, out of tune and harsh.
                                                  --Shak.
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   3. Order; harmony; concord; fit disposition, temper, or
      humor; right mood.
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            A child will learn three times as much when he is in
            tune, as when he . . . is dragged unwillingly to
            [his task].                           --Locke.
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tune
 vt.

    [from automotive or musical usage] To optimize a program or system for a
    particular environment, esp. by adjusting numerical parameters designed as
    hooks for tuning, e.g., by changing #define lines in C. One may tune for
    time (fastest execution), tune for space (least memory use), or tune for
    configuration (most efficient use of hardware). See hot spot, 
    hand-hacking.

tune

    (From musical, possibly via automotive, usage) To
   optimise a program or system for a particular environment,
   especially by adjusting numerical parameters designed as
   hooks for tuning, e.g. by changing "#define" lines in C.
   One may "tune for time" (fastest execution), "tune for space"
   (least memory use), or "tune for configuration" (most
   efficient use of hardware).

   See bum, hot spot, hand-hacking.

   [Jargon File]

   (1999-06-05)