Syncopate

2 definitions found

From The Collaborative International Dictionary of English v.0.48 [gcide]:

  Syncopate \Syn"co*pate\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Syncopated}; p.
     pr. & vb. n. {Syncopating}.] [LL. syncopatus, p. p. of
     syncopare to syncopate, to swoon. See {Syncope}.]
     1. (Gram.) To contract, as a word, by taking one or more
        letters or syllables from the middle; as, "Gloster" is a
        syncopated form of "Gloucester."


        [1913 Webster]
  
     2. (Mus.) To commence, as a tone, on an unaccented part of a
        measure, and continue it into the following accented part,
        so that the accent is driven back upon the weak part and
        the rhythm drags.
        [1913 Webster]

From WordNet (r) 2.0 [wn]:

  syncopate
       v 1: omit a sound or letter in a word; "syncopate a word"
       2: modify the rhythm by stressing or accenting a weak beat