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# castanets

noun, usually plural (castanets; one castanet)

«castanets» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

A small musical instrument of two shell-shaped pieces of hard wood (or plastic), held in the hand and clicked together to make a sharp rhythm, used especially in Spanish dancing and flamenco. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/castanets/#m1)

### In the lessons

In music lessons castanets are a percussion instrument: you hit them to keep the beat. In stories they bring a picture of Spain and flamenco dancers. Phrases: a pair of castanets, click the castanets.

### Examples

- The dancer clicked her castanets as she spun. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/castanets/#x1)
- We played castanets in the music lesson. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/castanets/#x2)
- Castanets are percussion instruments. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/castanets/#x3)
- Click, clack went the castanets. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/castanets/#x4)
- He kept the beat with a pair of castanets. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/castanets/#x5)
- Castanets are often used in Spanish music. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/castanets/#x6)
- My little sister loves the castanets in the music box. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/castanets/#x7)

### Note

Usually plural: castanets, "a pair of castanets"; one half is a castanet. Stress: cas-ta-NETS. They belong to the percussion family, like drums and tambourines.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «castanets» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/C/castanets/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«castanets» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/castanets.html) on Mova free.