orchestra: [17] In ancient Greece, the term orkhéstrā denoted a ‘semicircular space at the front of a theatre stage, in which the chorus danced’ (it was a derivative of the verb orkheisthai ‘dance’). English originally took it over (via Latin orchēstra) in this historical sense, but in the early 18th century orchestra began to be used for the ‘part of a theatre where the musicians played’, and hence by extension for the ‘group of musicians’ itself. The derivative orchestrate [19] was adapted from French orchestrer.
orchestra (n.)
c. 1600, "area in an ancient theater for the chorus," from Latin orchestra, from Greek orkhestra, semicircular space where the chorus of dancers performed, with suffix -tra denoting place + orkheisthai "to dance," intensive of erkhesthai "to go, come," from PIE root *ergh- "to mount" (cognates: Sanskrit rghayati "trembles, rages, raves," rnoti "rises, moves," arnah "welling stream;" Old Persian rasatiy "he comes;" Greek ornynai "to rouse, start;" Latin oriri "to rise," origo "a beginning;" Gothic rinnan, Old English irnan "to flow, run"). In ancient Rome, it referred to the place in the theater reserved for senators and other dignitaries. Meaning "group of musicians performing at a concert, opera, etc." first recorded 1720; "part of theater in front of the stage" is from 1768.
雙語例句
1. The orchestra gave its first performance on Whit Monday.
樂團在周一的聖靈降臨節舉行了首場演出。
來自柯林斯例句
2. Young conductors earn their spurs in a small orchestra or opera house.
年輕的指揮家們在小樂隊或小歌劇院裏嶄露頭角。
來自柯林斯例句
3. He had nursed an ambition to lead his own big orchestra.
他一直有一個夢想，希望能指揮一支自己的頂級管弦樂隊。
來自柯林斯例句
4. The orchestra contrived to produce some of its best playing for years.
這支管弦樂隊呈現了精彩的演奏，堪稱其多年來的巔峰演奏。
來自柯林斯例句
5. The orchestra has more discipline now, but at the expense of spirit.