overture

1. (obsolete) An opening; a recess or chamber.Examples: "c. 1612', George Chapman, A Hymne to Hermes the cave's inmost overture"obsolete

2. (obsolete) Disclosure; discovery; revelation.Examples: "It was he That made the overture of thy treasons to us."obsolete

3. (often in plural) An approach or proposal made to initiate communication, establish a relationship etc.Examples: "overture of friendship"; "Shortly afterwards the North Eastern Railway made overtures for the purchase of the Blyth & Tyne system, and the directors of the latter were then disposed to sell, but, in view of their excellent dividend record, stood out for a good price."; "Sarkozy gave a defiant speech, going on the offensive and betraying no hint of having been beaten. He styled the result as a "crisis" vote, by a French population which was "suffering". In a clear overture to Le Pen's voters, and the extreme-right motto of loving France, he said: "I call on all French people who put love of their country above partisan considerations, to unite and join me.""oftenplural

4. (Scotland) A motion placed before a legislative body, such as the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland.Scotland

5. (music) A musical introduction to a longer piece of music or a dramatic work (such as a play, an opera, or a motion picture).Examples: "The overture was almost at a close; and silence being now more effective than any thing that he could urge in favour of the play, Courtenaye went behind the scenes:..."

6. (music) A medley of themes from a larger work, such as an opera or musical, typically played at the beginning but sometimes played at any part of the work or performed as a standalone piece.Examples: "The paradoxical use of an overture at the end of a concert occasionally gave rise to satire in the musical press."