Mus. [f. THOROUGH prep. or adv. + BASS sb.5; cf. BASSO continuo.] A bass part extending through a piece of music, and written by itself, with figures indicating the chords or harmonies to be played with it; a figured bass, basso continuo; esp. (formerly) an accompaniment thus written or played; hence loosely, an accompaniment in general (also fig.). Also, the method of indicating harmonies by a figured bass, or the art of playing from it; loosely, the science of harmony in general.
1662. Playford, Skill Mus., I. i. (1674), 36. The Figures usually placed over Notes in the Thorough-Bass of Songs or Ayres.
1685. Evelyn, Mem., 10 March. She had an excellent voice, to which she play’d a thorough bass on the harpsichord.
1731. Keller, in Holder’s Harmony, 159. Rules for Playing a Thorow-bass.
1778. H. Walpole, Lett. to H. S. Conway, 8 July. Tumults would be a dreadful thorough bass to speeches.
1845. E. Holmes, Mozart, 258. He … wrote a treatise on thorough bass.
1875. Stedman, Vict. Poets, i. 3. Full-throated, happy minstrels, like Béranger or Burns, need no knowledge of thorough-bass and the historical range of composition.
¶ b. erron. A loud or deep bass.
1749. Fielding, Tom Jones, V. ix. He found … his nurse snoring … at the bed’s feet. He immediately took the only method of silencing this thorough bass, whose music he feared might disturb Mr. Allworthy.
1835. W. Irving, Crayon Misc. (1849), 30. He … had … a whiffling double voice, shifting abruptly from a treble to a thorough-bass.
