Retune

Part of speech: verb

Definitions

1. To change the tuning of a musical instrument or device to improve its sound or performance
2. To alter the pitch or settings of an instrument or technical equipment to achieve better harmony or function
3. To modify the tuning parameters of a device or musical instrument to ensure optimal operation

Etymology: "Retune" is a plain compound: the prefix "re-", meaning "again" or "back to a former state," attached to "tune." The English verb "tune" is itself a shortened form of "tono," a Middle English word for musical pitch that came from Old French "ton," which traces back to Latin "tonus," and ultimately from Greek "tonos," a tightening or stretching. So the idea at the heart of the word is literal tension: a string is stretched until it sounds the right note. The prefix "re-" comes from Latin "re-," which has the same sense of repetition or restoration, and it has been productive in English for centuries. Adding it to "tune" produces the simple meaning of setting an instrument's pitch again, most often after it has drifted out of true through temperature changes, wear, or handling.

Synonyms: re-tune, adjust