Music Performance Vocabulary

noun a route or direction

adverb completely or entirely

preposition indicating the extent or distance of a movement or action

• The team is determined to go all the way and win the championship.
• I'm rooting for you to go all the way in the competition!
• Let's go all the way and crush it!
• She supported him all the way through his journey to success.

noun a short period of intense activity or excitement

preposition used to indicate the purpose or reason for something

• Let's have a discussion about the matter at hand.
• I heard you were talking bout me behind my back.
• I'm thinking bout hitting up that new burger joint for lunch.
• He's been carrying around a heavy heart for bout a year now.

noun a violent confrontation or struggle

verb to come into violent conflict

• The clash between the two political parties resulted in heated debates during the parliamentary session.
• There was a clash between the fans of the rival football teams at the stadium last night.
• The clash between those two classmates was so intense, it was like watching a reality TV show.
• The clash of ideas in the boardroom led to a creative breakthrough for the company.

verb to release or free from a restraint or constraint

adjective having freedom or independence

adverb in a manner that is unrestrained or without inhibition

• After completing all of her work for the day, she decided to cut loose and relax at home.
• Let's cut loose and have some fun tonight!
• I'm ready to cut loose and party all night long!
• It's time to cut loose from all the stress and worries weighing you down.

verb to make something more lively or interesting

• The new marketing campaign aims to enliven the brand's image and attract more customers.
• Adding some colorful decorations will enliven the party and make it more fun.
• Let's enliven this boring class by playing some music and dancing!
• His jokes never fail to enliven the mood and bring laughter to the room.

adjective complete or total

adverb at full speed or with maximum effort

• The project manager is flat out trying to meet the deadline.
• I am flat out exhausted after a long day at work.
• I was flat out broke last month, but now I'm back on track.
• Her performance in the play was flat out amazing.

noun the full extent or scope of something

• The project is now in full swing with all team members actively working on their tasks.
• The party is in full swing, with music playing and people dancing.
• The concert is going to be lit, it's in full swing already!
• Her new business venture is in full swing, and she's already seeing success.

noun a period of time in a sports game or performance that is halfway between the beginning and the end

adjective describing something that occurs or is done during this period of time

• At half time, the coach gave a detailed analysis of the team's performance.
• During half time, we grabbed some snacks and chatted about the game so far.
• We were down by 10 points at half time, but we knew we could come back and win.
• In the 'half time' of our project, we reassessed our goals and made necessary adjustments.

noun a loud, wailing cry or sound

• The howler monkey is known for its loud vocalizations in the rainforest.
• I heard a howler outside my window last night and it scared me!
• That movie was a real howler, I couldn't stop laughing.
• The boss's email was a real howler, everyone in the office was talking about it.

noun A march past or procession.

verb To walk with regular and measured steps, typically in time to music or as part of a ceremony.

• Il est important de marcher lentement et avec grâce lors d'une procession religieuse.
• On a marché pendant des heures pour atteindre le sommet de la montagne.
• J'ai vu ce mec marcher dans la rue avec un style incroyable.
• Malgré les obstacles, il continue de marcher vers ses rêves.

noun a continuous movement of a group of people, especially soldiers or protesters, in an organized way

verb to walk with regular and measured tread, especially in a military manner

• The soldiers were marching in perfect formation.
• We saw a parade with people marching down the street.
• The protesters were marching to the beat of their own drum.
• Time keeps marching on, regardless of our actions.

adjective a word that describes or modifies a noun or pronoun, in this case 'mistimed' describes when something is not done at the correct or appropriate time

• The mistimed execution of the project led to significant delays.
• I mistimed my entrance and ended up interrupting the meeting.
• He totally mistimed his joke and it fell flat.
• Her mistimed decision to quit her job left her in a difficult situation.

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or another adverb to indicate the manner in which something is done

• The experiment was conducted perfectly according to the established protocol.
• She played the piano piece perfectly at the recital last night.
• The new video game character moves perfectly in battle.
• The colors in the painting blended together perfectly to create a harmonious composition.

noun the act of presenting a play, concert, or other form of entertainment to an audience

verb to carry out or execute a task or action

adjective describing someone or something involved in a performance

• The orchestra will be performing a symphony at the concert hall tonight.
• The band is performing at the local bar this weekend.
• The dancers are performing their routine at the club tonight.
• She is performing a balancing act trying to juggle work and family responsibilities.

noun a piece of old cloth or clothing

verb to dress in old or worn-out clothes in a showy or ostentatious manner

• She decided to rag out her old clothes and donate them to charity.
• Let's rag out these old magazines and make room for new ones.
• I'm going to rag out this playlist and add some new songs.
• After a long day at work, all I want to do is rag out on the couch and relax.

noun a practice session in preparation for a public performance

• The orchestra members gathered for a final rehearsal before the big performance.
• Let's do a quick rehearsal before we go on stage.
• We need to run through this song a few times in rehearsal.
• Life often feels like a rehearsal for the real thing.

noun the quality of being bright and reflecting light

verb to give off light; to be bright; to excel or be outstanding

• The sun's rays shine brightly on the surface of the water.
• Her smile makes the room shine with happiness.
• That new car of yours really shines on the road.
• His talent for storytelling makes his work shine among the rest.

noun A person who produces or presents shows as a profession, especially the manager or impresario of a circus, fair, or other variety show.

• The renowned showman captivated the audience with his mesmerizing performance.
• The showman put on quite a show last night, didn't he?
• That showman is a real crowd-pleaser!
• He was a showman in the way he presented himself to the world.

noun a gathering or protest in which people occupy a place and refuse to leave

verb to participate in a sit-in protest

• I was asked to sit in on the board meeting to observe and take notes.
• Hey, do you mind if I sit in on your game of poker?
• I heard there's a cool party happening tonight, can I sit in?
• Sometimes it's best to just sit in and listen before making a decision.

noun a raised floor or platform, typically in a theater, on which actors, entertainers, or speakers perform

verb to present or produce (a play or other show) on a stage

adjective relating to or designed for the stage or a theater performance

adverb not applicable

pronoun not applicable

preposition not applicable

conjunction not applicable

interjection not applicable

article not applicable

• The performers took the stage one by one, showcasing their talent.
• Once the lights dimmed, it was our cue to hit the stage and start the show.
• I can't wait to see my favorite band rock the stage tonight!
• Reaching this stage in my career has been a long and challenging journey.

verb to leave or exit a place

adverb used to describe the manner in which someone leaves or exits a place

• Before you step out of the building, please make sure to sign out at the front desk.
• Hey, do you want to step out for a quick coffee break?
• Let's step out for a smoke break, I need a break from work.
• Sometimes we need to step out of our comfort zone in order to grow.

noun a word that represents a person, place, thing, or idea

verb a word that expresses an action or a state of being

adverb a word that modifies or describes a verb, adjective, or another adverb

pronoun a word that takes the place of a noun in a sentence

preposition a word that shows the relationship between a noun (or pronoun) and other words in a sentence

• Please take it into consideration before making your decision.
• Just take it easy and relax.
• Take it from me, you don't want to mess with him.
• Sometimes you just have to take it on the chin and move on.

noun a garment worn on the upper body

adjective of the highest quality or rank

adverb extremely

• The quality of their products is among the tops in the industry.
• She always buys tops from that store because they have great deals.
• Those new sneakers are tops!
• His performance in the competition was tops, earning him first place.

noun a person who learns another's role in order to be able to act as a replacement if needed

verb to study or learn (a role or part) as an understudy

• The understudy stepped in when the lead actor fell ill.
• The understudy had to fill in for the main actor at the last minute.
• The understudy had to pinch-hit for the star performer.
• Being the understudy in life means always being prepared to take on unexpected challenges.

verb to move by taking steps with the feet

adverb in a manner that involves walking

preposition to step or tread on something

• It is not appropriate to walk on the grass in this park.
• Hey, let's go walk on the beach and enjoy the sunset.
• I heard that guy got in trouble for trying to walk on the train tracks.
• Sometimes you just have to walk on eggshells around certain people.

adverb modifies a verb, adjective, or other adverb, indicating the manner in which something is done

preposition shows the relationship between a noun or pronoun and other words in a sentence

• The marathon runner completed the race without stopping once.
• I can drive for hours without stopping, I love road trips.
• I can binge watch a whole season of my favorite show without stopping.
• She worked tirelessly on her project, like a machine without stopping.

verb to break out or escape suddenly and forcefully

• The suspect attempted to bust out of the handcuffs while in police custody.
• Let's bust out of this boring party and go somewhere fun.
• I can't wait to bust out my new skateboard at the park.
• After years of hard work, she was finally able to bust out of her financial struggles.

noun a move or series of dance steps

verb to perform a dance move or series of dance steps with energy and enthusiasm

• The dancer showcased her talent by busting some impressive moves during the performance.
• Hey, let's hit the dance floor and bust a move together!
• I saw him busting some sick moves at the club last night.
• In order to succeed in business, sometimes you have to be willing to bust a move and take risks.