rehearse
/rɪˈhɜːs/ IELTSAcademic
verb
To practise a play, speech, song, or other performance before the real event. You do it to improve timing, memory, and confidence.
- We rehearse the play every evening.
- She rehearsed her speech before the meeting.
- The band will rehearse tomorrow afternoon.
Adinary Nuance
Rehearse is more specific than practise. You rehearse something you will perform or present to others, like a speech, play, or concert. Practise is broader and can mean training any skill, like writing, speaking, or playing cricket. In formal or academic settings, rehearse often sounds natural for presentations and speeches.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- tập dượt
- Spanish
- ensayar
- Chinese
- 排练
- Japanese
- リハーサルする
- Korean
- 리허설하다
Etymology
Rehearse came into English from Old French rehercier, meaning 'to go over again' or 'to repeat'. The word has been used in English since the Middle Ages.
Common phrases
rehearse a speechrehearse a playrehearse for an examrehearse lines
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is rehearse the same as practise?
- Not exactly. Rehearse is usually for a performance or speech. Practise is for building any skill.
- Can I say rehearse for a presentation?
- Yes, that is very natural. People often rehearse presentations before meetings or exams.
- Is rehearse formal or informal?
- It is neutral and common in both speech and writing. It is especially useful in formal or academic situations.