Webster's English Dictionary

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resonance

res.o.nance \'rez-*n-*n(t)s, 'rez-n*n(t)s\ n 1a: the quality or state of 
   being resonant  1b1: a vibration of large amplitude in a mechanical or 
   electrical system ca used by a relatively small periodic stimulus of the 
   same or nearly the same period as the natural vibration period of the 
   system 1b2: the state of adjustment that produces resonance in a mechanical 
   or ele ctrical system 2a: the intensification and enriching of a musical 
   tone by supplementary vi bration 2b: a quality imparted to voiced sounds by 
   the resonance-chamber action of  mouth and pharynx configurations and in 
   some cases also of the nostrils 3: the sound elicited on percussion of the 
   chest  4: a phenomenon that is shown by a molecule, ion, or radical to 
   which two o r more structures differing only in the distribution of 
   electrons can be assigned and that gives rise to stabilization of the 
   structure