Chant — Defs

01 v. t. To utter with a melodious voice; to sing.

imp. & p. p. Chanted; p. pr. & vb. n. Chanting

1.
To utter with a melodious voice; to sing.
“The cheerful birds . . . do chant sweet music.” — Spenser.
2.
To celebrate in song.
“The poets chant in the theaters.” — Bramhall.
3.
To sing or recite after the manner of a chant, or to a tune called a chant.(Mus.)

02 v. i. To make melody with the voice; to sing.

1.
To make melody with the voice; to sing.
2.
To sing, as in reciting a chant.(Mus.)

Phrases & compounds

To chant horses — to sing their praise; to overpraise; to cheat in selling. See Chaunter.

03 n. Song; melody.

1.
Song; melody.
2.
A short and simple melody, divided into two parts by double bars, to which unmetrical psalms, etc., are sung or recited. It is the most ancient form of choral music.(Mus.)
3.
A psalm, etc., arranged for chanting.
4.
Twang; manner of speaking; a canting tone.[R.]
“His strange face, his strange chant.” — Macaulay.

Phrases & compounds

Ambrosian chant — in old French poetry, a poem containing five strophes of eleven lines each, and a concluding stanza. -- each of these six parts ending with a common refrain.

Gregorian chant — See under Gregorian.