- 1 a strong regular repeated pattern of sounds or movements to dance to the rhythm of the music music with a fast/slow/steady rhythm jazz rhythms He can't seem to play in rhythm. The boat rocked up and down in rhythm with the sea. the rhythm of her breathing abnormal heart rhythms a dancer with a natural sense of rhythm (= the ability to move in time to a fixed beat) Wordfindersingbeat, harmony, melody, music, note, rhythm, sing, tempo, tone, vocal Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivefast, slow, constant, … verb + rhythmdevelop, fall into, get into, … rhythm + nounsection prepositionin (a) rhythm, to a/the rhythm, with a/the rhythm, … phrasesa lack of rhythm, a sense of rhythm See full entry See related entries: Describing music
- 2a regular pattern of changes or events the rhythm of the seasons biological/body rhythms Lack of sleep can upset your daily rhythm. see also biorhythm Oxford Collocations Dictionary adjectivefast, slow, constant, … verb + rhythmdevelop, fall into, get into, … rhythm + nounsection prepositionin (a) rhythm, to a/the rhythm, with a/the rhythm, … phrasesa lack of rhythm, a sense of rhythm See full entry Word Originmid 16th cent. (also originally in the sense ‘rhyme’): from French rhythme, or via Latin from Greek rhuthmos (related to rhein ‘to flow’).Extra examples Cleaning up the house in the morning fell into an easy rhythm. He was snapping his fingers in rhythm. Her feet made a steady rhythm as she walked. Her feet made a steady rhythm on the pavement. Her pencil tapped out a staccato rhythm on the desk top. I found myself swaying to the rhythm of the music. I like music with a good rhythm. My body rhythms had not yet adapted to the ten-hour time difference. She soon settled into a regular rhythm. The movie follows the rhythms of a year on the farm. There’s rhythm in her movements. Try to disrupt your opponent’s rhythm. Williams is having trouble finding her rhythm on the serve. changes to our daily rhythms part of the natural rhythm of life the band’s rhythm section the steady rhythm of his heartbeat Doctors discovered that he had an abnormal heart rhythm. He can’t seem to play in rhythm. I listened to the steady rhythm of her breathing. I love these jazz rhythms. She has a natural sense of rhythm. This piece of music has a very fast rhythm.
noun jump to other results
BrE BrE//ˈrɪðəm//; NAmE NAmE//ˈrɪðəm//
[uncountable, countable] Describing musicCheck pronunciation: rhythm
