chorus

plural choruses · obsolete plural chorusses · plural rare chori

1. historicalAncient GreeceA group of singers and dancers in a theatrical performance or religious festival who commented on the main performance in speech or song.

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   [W]ee would that the voice and dialect of the propheteſſe Pythia, reſembling the ſpeech of a Chorus in a tragedie from a ſcaffold, ſhould pronounce her anſwers not in ſimple, plaine, and triviall termes, without any grace to ſet them out, but with Poeticall magnificence of high and ſtately verſes, diſguiſed as it were with metaphors and figurative phraſes, yea, and that which more is, with ſound of flute and hautboies: […]

   1603, Plutarch, “Why the Prophetesse Pythia Giveth No Answers Now from the Oracle in Verse or Meeter”, in Philemon Holland, transl., The Philosophie, Commonlie Called, The Morals […], London: […] Arnold Hatfield, →OCLC, page 1199

2. historicalAncient GreeceA song performed by the singers of such a group.

   And the Apocalyps of Saint Iohn is the majeſtick image of a high and ſtately Tragedy, ſhutting up and intermingling her ſolemn Scenes and Acts with a ſevenfold Chorus of halleluja's and harping ſymphonies: […]

   1642 (indicated as 1641), John Milton, The Reason of Church-governement Urg’d against Prelaty […], London: […] E[dward] G[riffin] for Iohn Rothwell, […], →OCLC, 2nd book, page 39

3. UKbroadlyhistoricalentertainmentAn actor who reads the prologue and epilogue of a play, and sometimes also acts as a commentator or narrator; also, a portion of a play read by this actor.

   Ya're as good as a Chorus my lord.

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shake-speare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and Iohn Trundell, published 1603, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]

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   Enter Chorus. / Cut is the branch that might haue growne ful ſtraight, / And burned is Apolloes Laurel bough, / That ſometime grew within this learned man: […]

   1589–1592 (date written), Ch[ristopher] Marl[owe], The Tragicall History of D. Faustus. […], London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Thomas Bushell, published 1604, →OCLC, signature [F3], recto

   Palinode. / Amo[rphus]. From ſpaniſh ſhrugs, french faces, ſmirks, irps, and all affected humours: / Chorvs. Good Mercvry defend vs.

   1600 (first performance), Beniamin Ionson [i.e., Ben Jonson], “Cynthias Reuels, or The Fountayne of Selfe-Loue. […]”, in The Workes of Beniamin Ionson (First Folio), London: […] Will[iam] Stansby, published 1616, →OCLC, Act V, scene xi, page 267

   Enter Time, the Chorus. [stage direction]

   c. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Winters Tale”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i], page 289, column 2

4. A group of singers performing together; a choir; specifically, such a group singing together in a musical, an opera, etc., as distinct from the soloists; an ensemble.

   The performance of the chorus was awe-inspiring and exhilarating.

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   They are shadowed by a robed chorus of Beckettian sages--Homer (Joseph Grimm), Hesiod (Gary Kelley), Herodotos (Daniel Parker) and Thucydides (Michael Rivkin)--given to Joseph Campbell-like pronouncements on the power of myth.

   1994 March 22, Jan Breslauer, “THEATER REVIEW : An Eclectic ‘Oresteia’ Opens Actors’ Gang’s New Home”, in Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles, Calif.: Los Angeles Times Communications, →ISSN, →OCLC, archived from the original on 10 Nov 2025

   But the rise of multiracialism is not all Kumbaya choruses and “postracial” identity. The N.A.A.C.P. criticized the census change, fearing that since so few in the black community are of fully African descent, mass attrition to a mixed-race option could threaten political clout and Federal financing.

   2008 March 23, Peggy Orenstein, “Mixed Messenger”, in The New York Times, archived from the original on 06 Nov 2020

5. broadlyA group of people in a performance who recite together.
6. An instance of singing by a group of people.

   But once out of sight of those fearful precincts, the psalm was forgotten, and again broke, loud, clear, and silvery, the joyous chorus.

   1848, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter I, in Harold, the Last of the Saxon Kings; […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, book I (The Norman Visitor, the Saxon King, and the Danish Prophetess), page 6

7. collectivenounA group of angels, or of types of angels like seraphim.
8. figurativelyA group of people, animals, or inanimate objects who make sounds together.

   a chorus of crickets    a chorus of whiners

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   More than just an appliance, the air conditioner is a memento mori. […] As summer proceeds, listen to the chorus of machines humming in the windows, outside the houses, atop the office buildings.

   2017 August 9, Shane Cashman, “The Moral History of Air-Conditioning”, in The Atlantic

9. figurativelyThe noise or sound made by such a group.

   a chorus of shouts and catcalls

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   As she came to the last line [of a song], her soft low voice seemed to awaken a chorus of sprightly horns and trumpets, and certain other wind instruments peculiar to the music of that day.

   1848, [Edward Bulwer-Lytton], chapter I, in Harold, the Last of the Saxon Kings; […], 2nd edition, volume I, London: Richard Bentley, […], →OCLC, book I (The Norman Visitor, the Saxon King, and the Danish Prophetess), pages 18–19

   At the end of a frantic first 45 minutes, there was still time for Charlie Adam to strike the bar from 20 yards before referee [Martin] Atkinson departed to a deafening chorus of jeering from Everton's fans.

   2011 October 1, Phil McNulty, “Everton 0 – 2 Liverpool”, in BBC Sport, archived from the original on 06 Sep 2021

10. figurativelyA group of people who express a unanimous opinion.

    So far, more than a dozen EU countries have either enacted a windfall tax or said they’re planning to. […] On Monday, US President Joe Biden joined the chorus, accusing oil companies of “war profiteering” and threatening them with big new levies if they fail to bring down consumer prices.

    2022 November 2, “Windfall Taxes Are All the Rage. They Shouldn’t Be.”, in The Washington Post

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    Donald Trump’s top political staffers at Mar-a-Lago are pressing him to move forward with his planned 2024 presidential campaign announcement next week but a chorus of allies are suggesting delaying until after the Senate runoff in Georgia in December, according to sources familiar with the matter.

    2022 November 11, Hugo Lowell, “Rift in Trump’s inner circle over 2024 presidential campaign announcement”, in The Guardian

11. figurativelyThe opinion expressed by such a group.

    On Friday, 75 scholars and clinicians signed an open letter, joining a chorus of disagreement with Berenson by arguing that “establishing marijuana as a causal link to violence at the individual level is both theoretically and empirically problematic”.

    2019 February 17, Jamiles Lartey, “Popular book on marijuana's apparent dangers is pure alarmism, experts say”, in The Guardian

12. entertainmentA piece of music, especially one in a larger work such as an opera, written to be sung by a choir in parts (for example, by sopranos, altos, tenors, and basses).
13. entertainmentA part of a song which is repeated between verses to emphasize the song's content; a refrain.

    The catchiest part of most songs is the chorus.

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    [T]he commodore, the lieutenant, and landlord, joined in the chorus, repeating this elegant ſtanza: […]

    1751, [Tobias] Smollett, “An Account of Mr. Gamaliel Pickle. […]”, in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC, page 10, column 1

    See the flowing bowl before us, / Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la! / Strike the harp and join the chorus. / Fa, la, la, la, la, la, la, la, la!

    Deck the Halls

    1862, T[homas] Oliphant; John Thomas, arranger, “No. 15. Nos Galan. New Year’s Eve. [Deck the Halls]”, in Welsh Melodies: With Welsh and English Poetry, London: Addison, Hollier & Lucas, →OCLC, stanza 2, page 140

14. entertainmentThe main part of a pop song played after the introduction.
15. entertainmentA group of organ pipes or organ stops intended to be played simultaneously; a compound stop; also, the sound made by such pipes or stops.
16. attributiveoftenentertainmentA feature or setting in electronic music that makes one instrument sound like many.
17. ChristianityA simple, often repetitive, song intended to be sung in a group during informal worship.
18. jazzentertainmentThe improvised solo section in a small group performance.

    Of additional interest is the riff in the second chorus, which was later copied by Joe Garland and recorded by the Glenn Miller Orchestra as "In the Mood," becoming the biggest hit of the Swing Era.

    2002, Thomas E. Larson, History and Tradition of Jazz, Dubuque, Iowa: Kendall/Hunt Publishing, →ISBN

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    Jazz solos in the 1920s are much more about variety and discontinuity than unity and coherence. The explosive introduction, the instrutable and tender scat-clarinet dialogue, the spritely piano chorus, and the majestic trumpet chorus—contrast is far more important than unity.

    2014, Thomas Brothers, “‘Some Kind of a God’”, in Louis Armstrong: Master of Modernism, New York, N.Y.; London: W[illiam] W[arder] Norton & Company, →ISBN, page 299

present singular third person choruses · present rare singular third person chorusses · participle present chorusing · participle present rare chorussing · participle past chorused · past chorused · participle past rare chorussed · past rare chorussed

1. transitiveTo sing (a song), express (a sentiment), or recite or say (words) in chorus.

   The Cottons chorused grateful acknowledgement.

   1955, Evelyn E. Smith, “Weather Prediction”, in Isaac Asimov, Terry Carr, Martin H[arry] Greenberg, editors, 100 Great Fantasy Short Stories, New York, N.Y.: Avon Books, published 1984, →ISBN

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   In the middle of the little woody bay, or rather basin, which received the scanty waters of the stream, an armed sloop lay at anchor, and he heard the din of license and carousal on board,—the hasty oath—the hearty laugh—and the boisterous song, chorussed by a score of rough voices, which made the bay re-echo.

   1826, Allan Cunningham, chapter V, in Paul Jones; a Romance. […], volume II, Edinburgh: Oliver & Boyd; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, & Green, →OCLC, page 125

   Shortly afterwards, all England was engaged in chorussing his favourite ditty— […]

   1826, [Walter Scott], chapter XIV, in Woodstock; Or, The Cavalier. […], volume III, Edinburgh: […] [James Ballantyne and Co.] for Archibald Constable and Co.; London: Longman, Rees, Orme, Brown, and Green, →OCLC, page 362

   […] I could not even affect to join in the stereotyped "Oh, thank you!" which was chorused around me.

   1893, Lewis Carroll [pseudonym; Charles Lutwidge Dodgson], “Jabbering and Jam”, in Sylvie and Bruno Concluded, London; New York, N.Y.: Macmillan and Co., →OCLC, page 157

   But soon they streamed ashore, fresh-faced young sailormen in small and large parties directed by ship's officers and Russian embassy guides. They drove to London, to Salisbury Cathedral, to Windsor Castle, chorusing sea chanteys and waving at girls.

   1953 June 22, “Great Britain: Two-way Scrutiny”, in Thomas Stanley Matthews, editor, Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC

   From Peking to Berlin the rulers of the Communist world dutifully chorused delight at [Nikita] Khrushchev's coup.

   1957 December 15, “Satellites: The Quavering Chorus”, in Time, New York, N.Y.: Time Inc., →ISSN, →OCLC

   Synonyms: duet

2. transitiveTo express concurrence with (something said by another person); to echo.

   "Yes," said the king; "Come, Hop-Frog, lend us your assistance. Characters, my fine fellow; we stand in need of characters—all of us—ha! ha! ha!" and as this was seriously meant for a joke, his laugh was chorused by the seven.

   1849 March 17, Edgar Allan Poe, “Hop-Frog”, in The Works of the Late Edgar Allan Poe: […], volumes II (Poems and Miscellanies), New York, N.Y.: J. S. Redfield, […], published 1850, →OCLC, page 458

3. raretransitiveTo provide (a song) with a chorus or refrain.

   Let ev'ry Song be Choruſt with his Name. / And Muſick pay her Tribute to his Fame.

   1701 January (indicated as 1700), [Daniel Defoe], “Part II”, in The True-Born Englishman. A Satyr, [London: s.n.], →OCLC, page 55

4. intransitiveTo sing the chorus or refrain of a song.

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   1785, James Boswell, The Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides with Samuel Johnson, LL.D, Wednesday, 8th September, 1773, http://www.gutenberg.org/cache/epub/6018/pg6018-images.html Malcolm sung an Erse song, the chorus of which was 'Hatyin foam foam eri', with words of his own. […] the boatmen and Mr M’Queen chorused, and all went well.

5. intransitiveTo sing, express, or say in, or as if in, unison.

   The animals crowded round the van. "Good-bye, Boxer!" they chorused, "good-bye!"

   1943 November – 1944 February (date written; published 1945 August 17), George Orwell [pseudonym; Eric Arthur Blair], chapter IX, in Animal Farm […], London: Secker & Warburg, →OCLC; republished as Animal Farm (eBook no. 0100011h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, March 2008

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   Then they all chorus'd upon me—Such a character as Miſs Harlowe's! cry'd one—A lady of ſo much generoſity and good ſenſe! another— […]

   1748, [Samuel Richardson], “Letter XXX. Mr. Lovelace, to John Belford, Esq.”, in Clarissa. Or, The History of a Young Lady: […], volume VI, London: […] S[amuel] Richardson; [a]nd sold by John Osborn, […], →OCLC, page 99

   Six State Commissioners of Education gloomily chorused about retrenchments, pay cuts and shut-down schools in Alabama, Missouri, Tennessee, Washington, Massachusetts and Maine.

   1933 August 14, “No Slice for Teachers”, in Time

   Without an abatement agreement there would have been no chorusing from the government about the great success and triumph that Fontainebleau represented for Britain.

   1985 July 1, George Robertson, Hansard, archived from the original on 12 Feb 2019

   Others in the crowded bus, having nothing better to do, took up the cry, and soon many of the higglers were chorusing about the ugliness of the fisherman playing dominoes.

   1986, Anthony Winkler, chapter 2, in The Painted Canoe, University of Chicago Press, page 20

   When I asked that question in the House recently, a number of Tel Aviv's little echoes in the Chamber chorused that Israel was a democracy.

   1998 November 25, George Galloway, Hansard

6. intransitiveTo echo in unison another person's words.

   Then she shouted: "Viva our Lady of Grace," and the crowd chorused.

   1947 October 20, “Miracle Man”, in Time

7. intransitiveOf animals: to make cries or sounds together.

   Then the cocks began to crow in the town beneath the hill, and the birds chorused in the fields, and a pale yellow poppy colored the east.

   1987, Tanith Lee, Night's Sorceries, New York: Daw Books, page 122

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   1998, Italo Calvino, The Path to the Spiders' Nests, translated by Archibald Colquhoun, revised by Martin McLaughlin, Hopewell, NJ: The Ecco Press, 1998, Chapter Two, p. 51, The hens are now sleeping in rows on their perches in the coops, and the frogs are out of the water and chorusing away along the bed of the whole torrent, from source to mouth.

1. historicaluncountableAncient GreeceA group of singers and dancers in a theatrical performance or religious festival who commented on the main performance in speech or song.

   Ya're as good as a Chorus my lord.

   c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shake-speare, The Tragicall Historie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke: […] (First Quarto), London: […] [Valentine Simmes] for N[icholas] L[ing] and Iohn Trundell, published 1603, →OCLC, [Act III, scene ii]

   1 more example

   Enter Chorus. / Cut is the branch that might haue growne ful ſtraight, / And burned is Apolloes Laurel bough, / That ſometime grew within this learned man: […]

   1589–1592 (date written), Ch[ristopher] Marl[owe], The Tragicall History of D. Faustus. […], London: […] V[alentine] S[immes] for Thomas Bushell, published 1604, →OCLC, signature [F3], recto

2. historicaluncountableAncient GreeceA song performed by the singers of such a group.