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Definition of tune verb from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

tune

verb
 
/tjuːn/
 
/tuːn/
Verb Forms
present simple I / you / we / they tune
 
/tjuːn/
 
/tuːn/
he / she / it tunes
 
/tjuːnz/
 
/tuːnz/
past simple tuned
 
/tjuːnd/
 
/tuːnd/
past participle tuned
 
/tjuːnd/
 
/tuːnd/
-ing form tuning
 
/ˈtjuːnɪŋ/
 
/ˈtuːnɪŋ/
Phrasal Verbs
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  1. tune something to make changes to a musical instrument so that it plays at the correct pitch
    • to tune a guitar
  2. tune something to make changes to an engine so that it runs smoothly and as well as possible
    • a finely tuned engine
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • perfectly
    • precisely
    • carefully
    preposition
    • to
    phrases
    • finely tuned
    • highly tuned
    See full entry
  3. [usually passive] to change the controls on a radio or television so that you can receive a particular programme or channel
    • be tuned (in) (to something) The radio was tuned (in) to the BBC World Service.
    • (informal) Stay tuned for the news coming up next.
    Extra Examples
    • He heard everything through a screen of interference, like on a badly tuned radio.
    • Most phones will automatically tune to the strongest network signal.
    Topics TV, radio and newsb2
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • permanently
    • automatically
    • regularly
    preposition
    • for
    • into
    • to
    phrases
    • badly tuned
    • stay tuned
    See full entry
  4. tune something (to something) to prepare or change something so that it is suitable for a particular situation
    • His speech was tuned to what the audience wanted to hear.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb
    • perfectly
    • precisely
    • carefully
    preposition
    • to
    phrases
    • finely tuned
    • highly tuned
    See full entry
  5. Word Originlate Middle English: unexplained alteration of tone. The verb is first recorded (late 15th cent.) in the sense ‘celebrate in music, sing’.
See tune in the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary
previously
adverb
 
 
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