bagatelle
/ˌbæɡəˈtel/ (bre, ipa) · /ˌbæɡəˈtel/ (ame, ipa) · /ˌba-gə-ˈtel/ (ame, mw)
bagatelle — noun
- bagatellesingular
- bagatellesplural
1. an amount of money or an object that is so small or unimportant that it is barel
an amount of money or an object that is so small or unimportant that it is barely worth mentioning or dealing with.
Abigail got a refund of three euros, a bagatelle that barely covered her bus fare.
a bagatelle — noun phrase describing a trivial sum
The lawyer dismissed the parking fine as a bagatelle next to the company's legal costs.
Raj laughed off the lost bet, telling his friends the twenty dollars was a bagatelle.
- fortune
a very large sum of money
文法句型
bagatelle (singular); a bagatelle
用法筆記
Most commonly used in the singular about money, often in dismissive contexts ('mere bagatelle', 'a bagatelle'). Also appears in literary or formal writing.
常見錯誤
2. a game, usually played on a slanted board with holes at one end, in which player
a game, usually played on a slanted board with holes at one end, in which players use a cue or a spring-loaded stick to hit small balls into the holes for points.
A worn bagatelle table sat in the corner of the old pub.
bagatelle table — the physical board used for the game
Sanjay's grandfather taught him how to play bagatelle during rainy afternoons in the village hall.
A vintage bagatelle set sold at auction for nearly two hundred pounds last spring.
- pinball
modern electric version; bagatelle is the manual, 19th-century original
文法句型
the bagatelle (game); a bagatelle (board)
用法筆記
Bagatelle is a precursor to modern pinball. The term is most common in Britain and older texts. In the US, 'pinball' is much more frequent for the electric version.
3. a short, light piece of music, usually written for piano, that does not follow a
a short, light piece of music, usually written for piano, that does not follow a strict or serious form and is meant to sound playful or elegant.
Beethoven wrote a set of eleven bagatelles for piano, each lasting only a few minutes.
bagatelles for piano — musical context collocation
Olivia chose a charming bagatelle by Ligeti for her final piano exam.
Rin played a short bagatelle at the recital, and the audience loved its cheerful melody.
- etude
a study piece designed for technical practice; less about lightness than a bagatelle
- intermezzo
short piece placed between larger sections; similar length but different function
- symphony
a large-scale orchestral work, opposite in length and seriousness
文法句型
a bagatelle (by composer); bagatelles for [instrument]
用法筆記
In classical music, a bagatelle is a brief, usually light-hearted instrumental work. The form is most associated with Beethoven, who published three sets of bagatelles (Op. 33, 119, 126). This sense also extends to short literary sketches.