tune
gb/tˈun/ us/tˈun/
B1
English
~ 5900
dallam, hangol, beállít, igazít, hozzáállás, nóta
NOUN
B1
1
dallam
A2
Usage pattern:
a tune
I can't get that catchy tune out of my head.
Nem tudom kiverni a fejemből azt a fülbemászó dallamot.
The band played a slow tune while people danced.
A zenekar egy lassú dallamot játszott, miközben az emberek táncoltak.
She hummed a little tune as she washed the dishes.
Do you remember the theme tune from that old TV show?
He whistled a happy tune on his way to work.
Learner examples
This tune is very easy to sing.
Ezt a dallamot nagyon könnyű elénekelni.
I like the tune of this song.
Tetszik ennek a dalnak a dallama.
He can play many tunes on the piano.
She sings the same tune every morning.
The children learned a new tune at school.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'tune' with 'lyrics'. 'Tune' is the music (the notes), while 'lyrics' are the words of a song. For example, you say 'I like the tune', not 'I like the lyrics', when you mean the melody.
Meaning
a melody or simple song
Collocations
catchy tune
|hum a tune
|whistle a tune
|play a tune
|theme tune
|a tune stuck in my head
Synonyms
melody (More musical and technical; does not usually refer to a whole pop song or track.)
|
song (Often includes words and the whole piece; 'tune' can be just the main melody.)
|
track (Informal; used mainly for recorded songs on an album or playlist.)
Antonyms
silence (Opposite in that there is no music or sound at all.)
Themes
music
|entertainment
|daily life
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
A group of musical notes that sound nice together and are easy to remember, like a song or melody.
A sequence of musical notes heard as a single, recognizable melody, especially a simple or catchy one.
VERB
B1
2
hangol
B1
Usage pattern:
to tune [an instrument]
Give me a minute to tune the guitar before we start.
Adj egy percet, hogy behangoljam a gitárt, mielőtt elkezdjük.
The piano hasn't been tuned in years and sounds terrible.
A zongorát évek óta nem hangolták, és borzalmasan szól.
She tuned her violin backstage before the concert.
You should tune your instrument every time you play with a band.
The technician comes twice a year to tune the church organ.
Learner examples
He is tuning his guitar now.
Épp a gitárját hangolja.
The piano sounds bad; we must tune it.
Rosszul szól a zongora; hangolni kell.
Please tune your violin before the lesson.
She knows how to tune a guitar.
I need to tune this old piano.
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say *'fix the guitar'* or *'correct the guitar'* when they mean adjusting the pitch. Use 'tune the guitar' for making the notes right, and 'repair the guitar' for physical damage.
Meaning
adjust an instrument's pitch
Collocations
tune the guitar
|tune the piano
|carefully tuned
|need tuning
|tune my violin
|tune it before playing
Synonyms
retune (Focuses on tuning again or adjusting from a previous tuning.)
Antonyms
detune (Technical; means to move an instrument away from correct pitch.)
Themes
music
|hobbies
|daily life
|arts_entertainment
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To change a musical instrument so that every note sounds right.
To adjust the strings or other parts of a musical instrument so that it produces the correct pitches.
VERB
B2
3
beállít
A2
Usage pattern:
to tune [a machine/device/system]
The mechanic tuned the engine to improve fuel efficiency.
A szerelő beállította a motort, hogy kevesebb üzemanyagot fogyasszon.
Make sure you tune the radio to the right frequency.
Ügyelj rá, hogy a rádió a megfelelő frekvenciára legyen állítva.
The team spent weeks tuning the software for better performance.
This car has a finely tuned suspension for racing.
You can tune the microphone settings to reduce background noise.
Learner examples
He tuned the radio to a local station.
Egy helyi adóra állította a rádiót.
The garage tuned my car last week.
A szervizben múlt héten beállították az autóm motorját.
They tuned the engine before the race.
You can tune the TV to a new channel.
She tuned the sound system for the concert.
Common mistake:
Learners may use 'tune' only for music and forget it is common with cars, radios, and other machines. Remember that 'tune' can also mean 'adjust a machine for best performance or reception'.
Meaning
adjust a machine for best performance
Collocations
tune the engine
|tune the radio
|tune the settings
|finely tuned system
|tune the suspension
|tune the software
Synonyms
optimize (More formal and technical; often used in computing and engineering.)
Antonyms
misconfigure (Technical; means to set up something in a way that makes it work badly.)
Themes
technology
|science
|transport
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To change small settings on a machine so it works better or finds the right signal.
To adjust the settings or parts of a machine or device so that it works as well as possible, or receives the desired signal.
VERB
C1
4
igazít
B1
Usage pattern:
to tune [something] to [someone/something]
We need to tune our marketing message to younger customers.
A marketingüzenetünket a fiatalabb vásárlókhoz kell igazítanunk.
The speech was carefully tuned to the international audience.
A beszédet gondosan a nemzetközi közönséghez igazították.
Teachers should tune their lessons to the needs of the class.
The policy is tuned to support small businesses.
They tuned the website content to local cultural expectations.
Learner examples
The ad was tuned to young people.
A reklámot a fiatalokhoz igazították.
She tuned her talk to a non-technical crowd.
Az előadását laikus közönséghez igazította.
They tuned the plan to the local market.
You should tune your style to the company culture.
The class was tuned to beginner students.
Common mistake:
Learners may overuse 'change' or 'adapt' and not realize 'tune' is common for small, careful adjustments to fit a specific group or situation. 'Tune' often suggests detailed, fine changes rather than big changes.
Meaning
adjust to suit people or context
Collocations
tune the message
|tune your approach
|tune the campaign
|finely tuned strategy
|tune content to the audience
|tune the offer to customers
Synonyms
tailor (Very close in meaning; slightly more formal and common in business and marketing.)
Antonyms
ignore (Opposite in that you do not make any changes for the situation or audience.)
Themes
communication
|business
|society
|core_vocabulary
Definition
To change a plan, message, or idea so it fits a special group of people or a situation better.
To adjust something such as a plan, message, or policy so that it is more suitable for a particular audience, purpose, or situation.
NOUN
B2
INFORMAL
5
hozzáállás
B1
nóta
B2
Usage pattern:
someone's tune about [something]
He kept complaining about the project, but he changed his tune after the bonus was announced.
Folyton panaszkodott a projektre, de a bónusz bejelentése után már más nótát fújt.
It's the same old tune from management about budget cuts.
A vezetőség megint ugyanazt a régi nótát fújja a költségvetési megszorításokról.
She softened her tune once she saw the final results.
You'll be singing a different tune when you see the price.
Their tune about remote work has changed since productivity went up.
Learner examples
He was angry, but he changed his tune later.
Dühös volt, de később már más nótát fújt.
I am tired of his same old tune about money.
Elegem van abból, hogy mindig ugyanazt a nótát fújja a pénzről.
She may sing a different tune tomorrow.
Their tune about the plan is more positive now.
After the win, the coach's tune was very different.
Common mistake:
Learners often understand the phrase 'change your tune' but do not recognize that 'tune' here means someone's usual way of talking or feeling about something. It does not mean music in this context.
Meaning
usual attitude or way of talking
Collocations
change his tune
|change her tune
|same old tune
|soften his tune
|a different tune now
Synonyms
attitude (More general; does not carry the idea of repeated or spoken behavior as strongly as 'tune'.)
Antonyms
silence (Opposite in that the person stops expressing that repeated opinion or complaint at all.)
Themes
communication
|emotions
|social
|core_vocabulary
Definition
Someone's normal way of speaking or feeling about something, especially when it always sounds the same or suddenly becomes different.
A person's typical attitude, opinion, or way of talking about something, especially when it is repeated or later changes.
Grammar
Dictionary form
tune
IPA
GB/tˈun/
US/tˈun/
Syllables & stress
tune (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (tune)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: tune
- Plural: tune, tunes
Verb
- Base: tune
- 3rd Person Singular: tunes
- Present Participle: tuning
- Past: tuned
Word family
Expressions
call the tune
1/kˈɔl ðə tˈun/
idiom
be the person in control
To be the person who has control and makes the important decisions.
Examples
- In this company, the investors call the tune.
- Who really calls the tune in that relationship?
- If you pay for the project, you get to call the tune.
carry a tune
1/kˈɛɹi ə tˈun/
idiom
informal
be able to sing in tune
To be able to sing notes at the right pitch so it sounds okay.
Examples
- I can't carry a tune, but I love karaoke.
- She may be shy, but she can really carry a tune.
- He jokes that he can’t carry a tune in a bucket.
change your tune
1/t͡ʃˈeɪnd͡ʒ jˈʊɹ tˈun/
idiom
informal
suddenly change attitude or opinion
To start talking or feeling very differently about something, often after something happens.
Examples
- He said he hated the idea, but he changed his tune after the boss approved it.
- You'll change your tune when you see how much it costs.
- She changed her tune about online learning once she tried it.
dance to someone's tune
1/dˈæns tə sˈʌmwˌʌnz tˈun/
idiom
do exactly what someone wants
To do what another person wants, often because they have power or money.
Examples
- The smaller companies had to dance to the big retailer's tune.
- He refuses to dance to anyone else's tune.
- They are dancing to the donors' tune on this issue.
in tune
1/ˈɪn tˈun/
idiom
having correct musical pitch
Singing or playing notes at the correct pitch so they sound right together.
Examples
- Make sure the guitar is in tune before you record.
- Her voice is always perfectly in tune.
- The choir sounded much better once everyone was in tune.
in tune with
1/ˈɪn tˈun wˈɪθ/
idiom
in agreement or harmony
Having ideas, feelings, or actions that match or agree well with someone or something.
Examples
- The company needs to be in tune with its customers' needs.
- She feels very in tune with nature when she hikes alone.
- His views are in tune with public opinion.
out of tune
1/ˈaʊt əv tˈun/
idiom
not at correct musical pitch
Singing or playing notes at the wrong pitch so they sound bad or wrong together.
Examples
- The piano is badly out of tune.
- He was so nervous that he sang out of tune.
- Several violins were out of tune during the performance.
sing a different tune
1/sˈɪŋ ə dˈɪfɹənt tˈun/
idiom
informal
express a very different attitude
To speak or act in a very different way from before, usually because the situation has changed.
Examples
- He was against the plan, but he sang a different tune after getting promoted.
- They'll be singing a different tune if the project fails.
- Once the money arrived, the landlord started singing a different tune.
to the tune of
1/tə ðə tˈun əv/
idiom
amounting to (large sum of money)
Used before an amount of money to show it is a large or exact amount.
Examples
- They invested to the tune of two million dollars.
- He was fined to the tune of $5,000.
- She donated to the tune of several thousand euros.
tune in
1/tˈun ˈɪn/
phrasal verb
set device to a station
To set a radio, TV, or similar device so it receives a particular station or program.
Examples
- Millions of people tune in to watch the show every week.
- You can tune in to the local station at 101.3 FM.
- Don't forget to tune in at eight o'clock tonight.
tune in to
1/tˈun ˈɪn tə/
phrasal verb
informal
become aware and pay attention
To start noticing and understanding something or someone, and pay close attention to it.
Examples
- Teachers need to tune in to their students' feelings.
- It took me a while to tune in to the way people think here.
- She quickly tuned in to the main issues in the discussion.
tune out
1/tˈun ˈaʊt/
phrasal verb
informal
stop paying attention
To stop listening to or thinking about something, especially because it is boring or stressful.
Examples
- I just tune out when he starts talking about politics.
- She put on headphones to tune out the noise.
- He tends to tune out during long meetings.
tune up
1/tˈun ˈʌp/
phrasal verb
prepare an instrument, car, or body
To make small changes to an instrument, car, or even your body so it is ready to work or perform well.
Examples
- The band tuned up before going on stage.
- I need to have my car tuned up before winter.
- Runners are tuning up for the marathon this weekend.