Rehearse

Part of speech: verb

Pronunciation: [ɹɪˈhɜːs]

Definitions

1. To practice or go over a performance or presentation before the actual event ; to say or repeat something again for clarity or memory
2. To prepare by repeatedly practicing an act, speech, or musical piece ; to utter or rehearse words once more for better retention
3. To run through a planned performance in advance ; to recite or repeat information repeatedly for emphasis or learning

Etymology: The verb "rehearse" entered English from Anglo-Norman "reherser," meaning "to repeat word-for-word," and it passed into Middle English as "rehersen." The sense of repeating something aloud has stayed close to the surface ever since. Its parts are simple: the prefix "re-" meaning "again," attached to "hercier," an Old French verb meaning "to harrow" or to drag a harrow over ploughed land, which gave the idea of going over ground more than once. That agricultural image is the key to the word's movement from farm to stage. A harrow pulls back and forth across a field until the soil is broken fine, so going over something again and again became a way of describing thorough repetition. Over time, the sense narrowed from general repetition to the specific practice of going through a speech, a play or a piece of music before a public performance.

Synonyms: practice, prepare, train, drill, recite

Antonyms: neglect, ignore, overlook, disregard, forget