SKIP TO CONTENT

first ending

/ˈfərst ˈɛndɪŋ/
IPA guide

When taking the first ending in a piece of music that has a repeat in it, you play or sing right through the section marked 1 till you get to the repeat sign. Then go back to the beginning of the repeated passage.

Of course, on the next time through the repeated passage, you'll skip the first ending and play or sing the second ending, which is marked with a 2, right through to its end. If there's yet another repeat sign at the end of that, you’ll go through a third time and take the third ending, which is marked with a 3, and so on — but not many pieces of music have more than two repeats and three endings!

Definitions of first ending
  1. noun
    (music) a closing marked with the numeral 1, used before the second time through a repeated passage or section of music
Cite this entry
Style:
MLA
  • MLA
  • APA
  • Chicago

Copy citation
DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘first ending'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
Word Family