march

¹march

noun \ˈmärch\

Definition of MARCH

: a border region : frontier; especially : a district originally set up to defend a boundary —usually used in plural <the Welsh marches>

Origin of MARCH

Middle English marche, from Anglo-French, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German marha boundary — more at mark

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with MARCH

arch, larch, parch, starch

²march

intransitive verb

Definition of MARCH

: to have common borders or frontiers <a region that marches with Canada in the north and the Pacific in the west>

First Known Use of MARCH

14th century

³march

verb \ˈmärch, imperatively often ˈhärch in the military\

Definition of MARCH

intransitive verb

1

: to move along steadily usually with a rhythmic stride and in step with others

2

a : to move in a direct purposeful manner : proceed

b : to make steady progress : advance <time marches on>

3

: to stand in orderly array suggestive of marching

transitive verb

1

: to cause to march <marched the children off to bed>

2

: to cover by marching : traverse <marched 10 miles>

Origin of MARCH

Middle English, from Middle French marchier to trample, march, from Old French, to trample, probably of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German marcōn to mark

First Known Use: 15th century

⁴march

noun \ˈmärch\

Definition of MARCH

1

: a musical composition that is usually in duple or quadruple time with a strongly accentuated beat and that is designed or suitable to accompany marching

2

a (1) : the action of marching (2) : the distance covered within a specific period of time by marching (3) : a regular measured stride or rhythmic step used in marching

b : forward movement : progress <the march of a movie toward the climax>

3

: an organized procession of demonstrators who are supporting or protesting something

— march·like \-ˌlīk\ adjective

— on the march

: moving steadily : advancing

First Known Use of MARCH

circa 1572

Other Music Terms

cacophony, chorister, concerto, counterpoint, madrigal, obbligato, presto, presto, refrain, riff, segue

March

noun \ˈmärch\

Definition of MARCH

: the third month of the Gregorian calendar

Origin of MARCH

Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin martius, from martius of Mars, from Mart-, Mars

First Known Use: 13th century

Other Calendar Terms

antedate, estival, gloaming, luster, sesquicentennial

Rhymes with MARCH

arch, larch, march, parch, starch

march

noun \ˈmärch\   (Medical Dictionary)

Medical Definition of MARCH

: the progression of epileptic activity through the motor centers of the cerebral cortex that is manifested in localized convulsions in first one and then an adjacent part of the body <the Jacksonian march of convulsions>

march

noun    (Concise Encyclopedia)

Musical form having an even metre with strongly accented beats, originally intended to facilitate military marching. Development of the European march may have been stimulated by the Ottoman invasions of the 14th–16th centuries. Marches were not notated until the late 16th century; until then, time was generally kept by percussion alone, often with improvised fife embellishment. With the extensive development of brass instruments, especially in the 19th century, marches became widely popular and were often elaborately orchestrated. Composers such as Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Ludwig van Beethoven, and Gustav Mahler wrote marches, often incorporating them into their operas, sonatas, or symphonies. The later popularity of John Philip Sousa's band marches was unmatched.