crescendo
t noun 1 (PL. crescendos or crescendi ) Music a gradual increase in loudness in a piece of music.
n Music a passage of music marked or performed in this way. n the loudest point reached in a gradually increasing sound: the port engine revs rose to a crescendo. n a progressive increase in force or intensity: a crescendo of misery. n the most intense point reached in this; a climax: the hysteria reached a crescendo around the spring festival.
t adverb & adjective Music with a gradual increase in loudness: [as ADJ.] a short crescendo kettledrum roll.
t verb (-oes, -oed) [no OBJ.] increase in loudness or intensity: the reluctant cheers began to crescendo.
—ORIGIN late 18th cent.: Italian, present participle of crescere ‘to increase’, from Latin crescere ‘grow’.