3. (Mus.) Florid; figurative; involving passing discords by the freer
melodic movement of one or more parts or voices in the harmony; as,
figurate counterpoint or descant.
Figurate counterpoint or descant (Mus.), that which is not simple, or
in which the parts do not move together tone for tone, but in which
freer movement of one or more parts mingles passing discords with the
harmony; -- called also figural, figurative, and figured counterpoint
or descant (although the term figured is more commonly applied to a
bass with numerals written above or below to indicate the other notes
of the harmony). -- Figurate numbers (Math.), numbers, or series of
numbers, formed from any arithmetical progression in which the first
term is a unit, and the difference a whole number, by taking the first
term, and the sums of the first two, first three, first four, etc., as
the successive terms of a new series, from which another may be formed
in the same manner, and so on, the numbers in the resulting series
being such that points representing them are capable of symmetrical
arrangement in different geometrical figures, as triangles, squares,
pentagons, etc. In the following example, the two lower lines are
composed of figurate numbers, those in the second line being
triangular, and represented thus: --
. 1, 2, 3, 4, etc. . . . 1, 3, 6, 10, etc. . . . . . . . etc. 1, 4, 10,
20, etc . . . . . . . . . . . .
Fig"ur*a`ted (?), a. Having a determinate form.
Fig"ur*ate*ly (?), adv. In a figurate manner.
Fig`u*ra"tion (?), n. [L. figuratio.] 1. The act of giving figure or
determinate form; determination to a certain form. Bacon.