noun, plural an·a·cru·ses [an-uh–kroo-seez] /ˌæn əˈkru siz/.
- Prosody. an unstressed syllable or syllable group that begins a line of verse but is not counted as part of the first foot.
- Music. the note or notes preceding a downbeat; upbeat.
noun plural -ses (-siːz)
- prosody one or more unstressed syllables at the beginning of a line of verse
- music
- an unstressed note or group of notes immediately preceding the strong first beat of the first bar
- another word for upbeat
“unstressed syllable at the beginning of a verse,” 1833, Latinized from Greek anakrousis “a pushing back,” of a ship, “backing water,” from anakrouein “to push back, stop short, check,” from ana- “back” (see ana-) + krouein “to strike,” from PIE *kreue- (2) “to push, strike” (cf. Russian krusit, Lithuanian krusu “to smash, shatter,” Old Church Slavonic kruchu “piece, bit of food,” Old English hreowian “feel pain or sorrow,” Old Norse hryggja “make sad”).