tune

1 noun (C)

1 a series of musical notes that are played or sung one after the other to make a pattern of sound that is usually pleasant to listen to: I recognize that tune but I can't remember the name of the song.

2 in tune playing or singing the correct musical note: Sadie can't sing in tune.

3 out of tune playing or singing higher or lower than the correct musical note: That old piano's completely out of tune.

4 be in tune with/out of tune with to be able or unable to realize, understand, or agree with what someone else thinks or wants: Many politicians are totally out of tune with the needs of ordinary people.

5 to the tune of $1000/-2 million etc informal used to emphasize how large an amount or number is: We're already in debt to the tune of -5000.

—see also: call the tune call 1 (25), change your tune change 1 (13), dance to sb's tune dance 2 (6) 2 verb (T)

1 to make a musical instrument play at the right pitch 1 (3): Someone's coming tomorrow to tune the piano.

2 to make an engine work as well as possible

3 to make a radio or television receive broadcasts from a particular place: The radio was tuned to a classical station. | stay tuned to (sth) (=continue watching or listening to the same radio station or television programme): Stay tuned for the latest news from Washington.

4 finely tuned sense/perception/balance etc a very careful and skilful way of judging something, understanding situations etc: She had a finely tuned sense of right and wrong.

tune in phrasal verb (I, T)

1 to watch or listen to a broadcast on radio or television: 60 million people tuned in to watch the Royal Wedding. | tune sth in (to sth): Tune the radio in to KCRW.

2 tuned in able to realize or understand what is happening or what other people are thinking: She doesn't seem very tuned in to these new developments.

tune out phrasal verb (I, T) informal especially AmE to ignore or stop listening to someone: She tuned out after I said no extra money was involved. | tune sb/sth out: I learned to tune out the background noise. tune up phrasal verb

1 (I) when musicians tune up, they prepare their instruments to play at the same pitch 1 (3) as each other

2 (transitive tune something up) to make a musical instrument play at the right pitch 1 (3)