riff

Related topics: Music

riff1 /rɪf/ noun [countableC]

1 APMa repeated series of notes in popular or jazz music 〔流行音乐或爵士乐中的〕重复乐段

a guitar riff

吉他重复乐段

2 a piece of speech in which someone talks about a subject in an entertaining way that does not seem planned 〔有趣的〕即兴谈话

He goes off on a riff about the problems of being middle-aged.

他即兴说了一番关于中年问题的妙语。

Examples from the Corpus

riff• He rode to fame on the mambo and cha-cha craze of the Eisenhower years, dazzling audiences with his frenetic riffs.• Berry's guitar riffs inspired several generations of bands.• M., and opens with a lot of squiggly guitar riffs as the full-motion video kicks in.• The next example is the catchy syncopated intro riff taken from the single Teaser.• No hooks, no memorable riffs.• When our buckets are full, we top the tour with a skidding riff of singing sand.• The serious climbers would not be seen dead with such riff raff.• Blackbirds trade riffs with each other through the trees.

riff2 verb [intransitiveI]

1 to play different notes related to the main tune in popular or jazz music 演奏重复乐段

He was riffing on his guitar.

他在用吉他演奏重复乐段。

2 to talk about a subject in an entertaining way that does not seem planned 即兴说话

During her show, she riffs about everything from her family to global warming.

她在自己的节目里随兴而谈，从自己家庭到全球变暖无所不涉。

Origin riff

(1900-2000) Probably from → REFRAIN2

Chinese

Corpus