rehearse

verb

re·​hearse ri-ˈhərs 

rehearsed; rehearsing

transitive verb

1

a

: to say again : repeat

b

: to recite aloud in a formal manner

2

: to present an account of : relate

rehearse a familiar story

3

: to recount in order : enumerate

rehearsed their demands

4

a

: to give a rehearsal of

b

: to train or make proficient by rehearsal

5

: to perform or practice as if in a rehearsal

intransitive verb

: to engage in a rehearsal

rehearser noun

Synonyms

• exercise
• practice
• practise
• run over

Examples of rehearse in a Sentence

The orchestra is rehearsing a piece by Schumann.

The band stayed up late rehearsing for the big show.

We were allowed to watch the director rehearse the dancers.

lawyers rehearsing their closing arguments

He rehearsed his dance moves in front of the mirror.

Recent Examples on the Web

In the corporate realm, should our approach to achieving goals be akin to rehearsing a Broadway show, where every last detail is planned and choreographed? —Roman Pedan, Forbes, 28 Nov. 2023

The two actors shot scenes from the film at Hardwicke’s home and famously kissed for the first time while rehearsing a scene in the director’s own bed. —Zack Sharf, Variety, 20 Nov. 2023

Learn the lines, but don’t rehearse, not by yourselves or together. —Lisa Wong MacAbasco, Vogue, 17 Nov. 2023

As the family waited to hear back, the NYU Langone team rehearsed the procedure 15 times. —Praveena Somasundaram, Washington Post, 10 Nov. 2023

For two days, Cash rehearsed the role of a Las Vegas hotel worker bringing room service to Chandler, who was upset that Monica had lunch with her former boyfriend Richard, played by Tom Selleck. —David K. Li, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2023

Hudson took her performance a step further with rehearsed a routine, complete with several background dancers who wore black jumpsuits as well with white tops underneath. —Angel Saunders, Peoplemag, 31 Oct. 2023

On October 21, Egypt hosted a summit to discuss the unfolding violence in Gaza, offering a chance for Western powers and Egypt’s Arab neighbors to rehearse predictable statements without making any commitment to action. —Lisa Anderson, Foreign Affairs, 25 Oct. 2023

The young musicians, in jeans and fuzzy sweaters, had just finished rehearsing a Prokofiev symphony in an empty concert hall. —Javier C. Hernández, New York Times, 31 Oct. 2023

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Word History

Etymology

Middle English rehersen, from Anglo-French rehercer, from re- + hercer to harrow, from herce harrow — more at hearse

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

rehearse

verb

re·​hearse ri-ˈhərs 

rehearsed; rehearsing

1

a

: to say again : repeat

b

: to recount in order : enumerate

they rehearsed their complaints in a letter

2

a

: to practice (a play or scene) for public performance

b

: to train or instruct (as actors) by rehearsal

3

: to engage in a rehearsal

rehearser noun

Etymology

Middle English rehersen "to say again, repeat," from early French rehercier "to go over again and again," literally, "to harrow again," from re- "again" and hercier "to harrow," from herce "a harrow"

Word Origin

In the Middle Ages, French farmers used a tool they called a herce. This was a triangular wooden frame with sturdy pegs or teeth on one side. It was pulled over plowed farmland to break up the soil in order to make it smooth for planting. The early French verb used to describe this action was hercier, which meant "to harrow." In most cases the process had to be repeated over and over, so the word rehercier was formed, meaning "to harrow again" or "reharrow." In time, rehercier came to be used with more general meanings like "to go over something again (and again)," as in repeating a school lesson or a story. The word came into Middle English as rehersen, meaning "to say again, repeat." Through the years the English word, now spelled rehearse, has picked up new meanings. Perhaps the most familiar one now is "to go through (a scene or play) over and over for practice until it is ready for performance."