sax1
/saks
/noun informal
1A saxophone: alto sax [as modifier]: a sax solo...
- Over the years, he has become adept on alto and soprano saxes, value trombone, flugelhorn, pocket trumpet, cornet, and various clarinets.
- His exquisite phrasing is heard frequently on 16-or 32-bar alto sax solos, and occasionally on trumpet and clarinet.
- The song bolts out with an anticipatory, pulsing rhythm under a soprano sax solo.
1.1A saxophone player: tenor saxes Alan Thompson and Sue Ferris...
- Though Underhill admits his band of three saxes, a crazy bassist, and a dancing drummer is getting on in years, he claims they've still got that old verve.
- One of the tenor saxes also played the lead in unison with the clarinet, but an octave lower.
Derivatives
saxist
- Our erstwhile ska hardliners are now essentially a four-piece, with saxist Lorraine front and centre handling vocal duty.
- And he also fell under the sway of Crouch, as well as the alto saxist Arthur Blythe and, a bit later, David Murray, who played tenor sax and bass clarinet.
- B.J., Andy, and Joe would play their guitars, Alex would be our saxist, Chelsea would be the keyboardist, and you and I would be the lead singers.
Origin
Early 20th century: abbreviation.
Rhymes
sax2
/saks/(also zax /zaks/)
noun
A small axe used for cutting roof slates, with a point for making nail holes.
Origin
Old English seax 'knife', of Germanic origin, from an Indo-European root meaning 'cut'.