detune
/diːˈtjuːn
/verb [with object]
1Cause (a musical instrument) to become out of tune.It's a dark and compelling mix ending in a brilliant death disco anthem; Sonar Tim, freed from his usual position behind the drum kit, is on his knees on the floor, tuning and detuning his guitar as he beats the strings....
- So to sing it successfully I've had to detune my guitar by one tone.
- Or simply detuning his guitar until the strings fell off.
2 (usually as adjective detuned) Reduce the performance or efficiency of (a motor vehicle or engine) by adjustment: a slightly detuned version of a professional rally racer...
- This is a slightly detuned, more refined version of the 147/156 GTA motor, and its easy, creamy power delivery lets you amble at low speeds without demanding a downshift if the traffic suddenly vanishes.
- Bruins' team had detuned the car slightly to be on the safe side, and it ‘went crazy’ at the 1-2 shift, allowing Don Garlits to sneak past for a 6.36 to 6.40 victory.
- Engines were being detuned and within another year bigger engines were being dropped.
3Change the frequency of (an oscillatory system such as a laser) away from a state of resonance: diode lasers can be detuned faster than standard lasers...
- One study compared massage with detuned laser therapy as placebo, and the other trials compared massage with various other physical treatments such as acupuncture or spinal manipulation.
- If we detune laser A from resonance the symmetry is destroyed.