piano

Etymology 1

Clipping of pianoforte, from Italian pianoforte, from piano (“soft”) + forte (“strong”). So named because it could produce a wide range of varied volumes note-by-note, in contrast to older keyboard instruments, notably the harpsichord. Doublet of llano, plain, and plane.

noun

1. (music) a percussive keyboard musical instrument, usually ranging over seven octaves, with white and black colored keys, played by pressing these keys, causing hammers to strike strings
   The piano in his house takes up a lot of space.
   She has been taking lessons for many years and now plays piano very well.

verb

1. To play the piano.
   Anyhow I pianoed to my own ear, and had no thought at that time for an audience. 1967, Harry F. Chaplin, A McCrae Miscellany, page 41
   Who comforted me with Madeleines and lime tea, with whipped cream in my cocoa in far off Ann Arbor while others selfishly fiddled, bassooned, pianoed only for their own ugly self-advancement! 1978, Bertha Harris, Confessions of Cherubino, page 96
   John Ashbery, Kenneth Koch, Arnold Weinstein, and others came to the house, taping their poems as I pianoed and zithered and drummed away. 2008, John Gruen, Callas Kissed Me...Lenny Too!, page 138
   We guitared and drummed and head banged and pianoed. 2020, Becky Manawatu, Auē, page 139
2. (of or with fingers) To move (the fingers) up and down on, similar to the motions of a pianist playing the piano.
   He just stared at her, leaned back in his chair and pianoed his fingers along the tablecloth. 2013, Ann Blair Kloman, A Diamond to Die For, page 29
   “Jean, it ain't right how you separated those two,” he said, and pianoed the little coffin with his fingers, tapping out his grievance. 2017, Kim Michele Richardson, The Sisters of Glass Ferry
   The superintendent pianoed his fingers on the surface of a nearby desk. 2020, Simon Lelic, The Search Party
   Holly pianoed her fingers over her throat. 2021, Emilya Naymark, Hide in Place
3. To equip with a piano.
   Other buildings will also be erected and pianoed by the same architect. 1889, The Engineering Record, Building Record and Sanitary Engineer, page 128
   A tabernacle has been built, burnt, rebuilt, electric lighted, organed, pianoed, and frequently filled — all during the last two years. 1892, The Japan Daily Mail - Volume 18, page 772

Etymology 2

From Italian piano.

adv

1. (music) softly, as a musical direction (abbreviated to p. in sheet music)

adj

1. (music) Soft, quiet.
2. (in extended use) Gentle, soft, subdued.
   ‘Tradecraft, Chris,’ Enderby put in, who liked his bit of jargon, and Martindale, still piano, shot him a glance of admiration. 1977, John Le Carré, The Honourable Schoolboy, Folio Society, published 2010, page 160

verb

1. To become softer and less intense.
   “You know, Mrs. Wrigglechops,” pianoed Miss Drucilla , even more meekly and mildly than before, "the ace is either one or eleven." 1839, Rosina Doyle Bulwer afterwards Bulwer Lytton (Baroness Lytton.), Cheveley; Or, The Man of Honour, page 385
   His tone pianoed on intimacy. 2000, David R. Beasley, Aspects of Love: Three novellas, page 83
   A day pianoed, swelled acutest, pianoed. 2009, David Lau, Virgil and the Mountain Cat, page 61