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

Bieber posted two carousels of photos on Instagram full of shots of him in the studio and rehearsing on a microphone with bandmates, prompting excitement from his fans at his potential return. —Julia Moore, Peoplemag, 15 Apr. 2024

In the show, a theater troupe rehearses a play about the relationship between Sally Hemings and Thomas Jefferson, her enslaver and the father of at least six of her children. —Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Apr. 2024

Of course, rehearsing is one thing, but acting in a hairy suit in a remote Pacific Northwest forest is another. —Devan Coggan, EW.com, 12 Apr. 2024

As someone who has fought your own battle with obesity, perhaps your husband could rehearse a conversation with you. —Amy Dickinson, Washington Post, 9 Apr. 2024

Dancers must be available to rehearse from 9 to 11 a.m. —Linda McIntosh, San Diego Union-Tribune, 29 Mar. 2024

But where Cassavetes artfully constructed Myrtle and built an intriguing blur between what is happening in her head and in the play being rehearsed, the blur here topples into a mess. —David Benedict, Variety, 27 Mar. 2024

But Wang says the trio didn't rehearse the magical moment that garnered over 255,000 likes on social media. —Zoey Lyttle, Peoplemag, 25 Mar. 2024

Another idea is to rehearse a few introductory lines in front of a mirror or with a friend before the party. —Anthea Levi, Health, 24 Mar. 2024

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."