trumpet

plural trumpets

1. entertainmentA musical instrument of the brass family, generally tuned to the key of B-flat; by extension, any type of lip-vibrated aerophone, most often valveless and not chromatic.

   The royal herald sounded a trumpet to announce their arrival.

   1 more example

   In trumpets for assisting the hearing, all reverbation of the trumpet must be avoided. It must be made thick, of the least elastic materials, and covered with cloth externally. For all reverbation lasts for a short time, and produces new sounds which mix with those which are coming in.

   1820, Encyclopaedia Britannica; Or A Dictionary of Arts, Sciences, and Miscellaneous Literature, 6th edition, volume 20, Edinburgh: Archibald Constable and Company, page 501

   Synonyms: beme, cornet, flugelhorn

2. Someone who plays the trumpet; a trumpeter.

   The trumpets were assigned to stand at the rear of the orchestra pit.

   1 more example

   Next day, he sent a trumpet to the general, with a detail of my misfortune, in hopes of retrieving what I had lost […].

   1751, [Tobias] Smollett, The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume (please specify |volume=I to IV), London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC

3. The cry of an elephant, or any similar loud cry.

   The large bull gave a basso trumpet as he charged the hunters.

4. figurativelyOne who praises, or propagates praise, or is the instrument of propagating it.

   I will the banner from a trumpet take

   1599 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Henry the Fift”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene ii]

   1 more example

   That great politician was pleased to have the greatest wit of those times […] to be the trumpet of his praises.

   1700, [John] Dryden, “Preface”, in Fables Ancient and Modern; […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC

5. A funnel, or short flaring pipe, used as a guide or conductor, as for yarn in a knitting machine.
6. A kind of traffic interchange involving at least one loop ramp connecting traffic either entering or leaving the terminating expressway with the far lanes of the continuous highway.

   The result of adopting the latter principle would be that even unimportant T-junctions would be in the form of trumpets or half-cloverleaf junctions.

   1974, O.T.A., Proceedings, page 4

7. A powerful reed stop in organs, having a trumpet-like sound.
8. Any of various flowering plants with trumpet-shaped flowers, for example, of the genus Collomia.
9. UScapitalizedoftenslangA supporter of Donald Trump, especially a fervent one.

present singular third person trumpets · participle present trumpeting · participle past trumpeted · past trumpeted

1. intransitiveTo sound loudly, be amplified

   The music trumpeted from the speakers, hurting my ears.

2. intransitiveTo play the trumpet.

   Cedric made a living trumpeting for the change of passersby in the subway.

3. ambitransitiveOf an elephant, to make its cry.

   The circus trainer cracked the whip, signaling the elephant to trumpet.

   1 more example

   The other, standing nearly head-on toward the hunters, had not proved so good a mark, and though every spear struck not one entered the great heart. For a moment the huge bull stood trumpeting in rage and pain, casting about with its little eyes for the author of its hurt.

   1913, Edgar Rice Burroughs, The Return of Tarzan, New York: Ballantine Books, published 1963, page 132

4. ambitransitiveTo give a loud cry like that of an elephant.

   The bird trumpeted a second time. Dinah listened to the echo die around her.

   2017, Gerhard Gehrke, Nineveh's Child

5. transitiveTo proclaim loudly; to promote enthusiastically

   Andy trumpeted Jane's secret across the school, much to her embarrassment.

   3 more examples

   They did nothing but publish and trumpet all the reproaches they could devise against the Irish.

   a. 1627 (date written), Francis [Bacon], “Considerations Touching a Warre with Spaine. […]”, in William Rawley, editor, Certaine Miscellany Works of the Right Honourable Francis Lo. Verulam, Viscount S. Alban. […], London: […] I. Hauiland for Humphrey Robinson, […], published 1629, →OCLC

   One Sings, the Other Doesn't trumpets a gladsome triumph for feminists who have awaited the advent of unflinching women in film.

   1977 December 31, Sara Annie Fisher, “Film Shows Women Victimized And Victorious”, in Gay Community News, volume 4, number 26, page 9

   An anniversary summit in Washington in July is sure to trumpet a nearly eight-decade record of success.

   2024 April 2, Howard LaFranchi, Anna Mulrine Grobe, “NATO has united the West for 75 years. Here’s why it still matters.”, in The Christian Science Monitor

plural Trumpets

1. slangA vocal political supporter of US President Donald Trump, especially online.