8. (Mus.) (a) The close or fall of a strain; the point of rest, commonly reached by the immediate succession of the tonic to the dominant chord. (b) A cadenza, or closing embellishment; a pause before the end of a strain, which the performer may fill with a flight of fancy.
Imperfect cadence. (Mus.) See under Imperfect.
Ca"dence, v. t. To regulate by musical measure.
These parting numbers, cadenced by my grief.
Philips.
Ca"den*cy (?), n. Descent of related families; distinction between the members of a family according to their ages.
Marks of cadency (Her.), bearings indicating the position of the bearer as older or younger son, or as a descendant of an older or younger son. See Difference (Her.).
Ca*dene" (?), n. [Cf. F. cadŔne.] A species of inferior carpet imported from the Levant. McElrath.
Ca"dent (?), a. [L. cadens, -entis, p. pr. of cadere to fall.] Falling. [R.] "Cadent tears." Shak.
Ca*den"za (?), n. [It.] (Mus.) A parenthetic flourish or flight of ornament in the course of a piece, commonly just before the final cadence.
Ca"der (?), n. See Cadre.
Ca*det" (?), n. [F. cadet a younger or the youngest son or brother, dim. fr. L. caput head; i. e., a smaller head of the family, after the first or eldest. See Chief, and cf. Cad.]