rhythm

rhyth‧m W3 /ˈrɪðəm/ BrE AmE noun [uncountable and countable]
[Date: 1500-1600; Language: Latin; Origin: rhythmus, from Greek, from rhein 'to flow']
1.a regular repeated pattern of sounds or movements ⇨ metre:
Drums are basic to African rhythm.
complicated dance rhythms
rhythm of
She started moving to the rhythm of the music.
the steady rhythm of her heartbeat
2. a regular pattern of changes:
the body’s natural rhythms
rhythm of
Jim liked the rhythm of agricultural life.

Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

rhythm

rhythm [rhythm rhythms] [ˈrɪðəm] [ˈrɪðəm] noun uncountable, countable
1. a strong regular repeated pattern of sounds or movements
• to dance to the rhythm of the music
• music with a fast/slow/steady rhythm
• jazz rhythms
• He can't seem to play in rhythm.
• The boat rocked up and down in rhythm with the sea.
• the rhythm of her breathing
• abnormal heart rhythms

• a dancer with a natural sense of rhythm (= the ability to move in time to a fixed beat)

2. a regular pattern of changes or events
• the rhythm of the seasons
• biological/body rhythms
• Lack of sleep can upset your daily rhythm.
see also biorhythm
Word Origin:
mid 16th cent. (also originally in the sense ‘rhyme’): from French rhythme, or via Latin from Greek rhuthmos (related to rhein ‘to flow’).
Thesaurus:
rhythm noun
1. U, C
• The dancers moved to the rhythm of the music.
beat • • time • |music tempo • |BrE, technical metre • |AmE meter •
to the rhythm/beat
in rhythm/time
a slow/fast rhythm/beat/tempo
2. C
• the rhythm of the tides
cycle • • pattern •
a/an regular/irregular rhythm/cycle/pattern
a natural rhythm/cycle
break a rhythm/cycle/pattern
the rhythm/cycle of the seasons
Rhythm, cycle or pattern? Pattern is used especially about people's work and behaviour; cycle is used especially about events in the natural world; rhythm is used especially about how people's bodies adapt to changing conditions.
Example Bank:
• Cleaning up the house in the morning fell into an easy rhythm.
• He was snapping his fingers in rhythm.
• Her feet made a steady rhythm as she walked.
• Her feet made a steady rhythm on the pavement.
• Her pencil tapped out a staccato rhythm on the desk top.
• I found myself swaying to the rhythm of the music.
• I like music with a good rhythm.
• My body rhythms had not yet adapted to the ten-hour time difference.
• She soon settled into a regular rhythm.
• The movie follows the rhythms of a year on the farm.
• There's rhythm in her movements.
• Try to disrupt your opponent's rhythm.
• Williams is having trouble finding her rhythm on the serve.
• changes to our daily rhythms
• part of the natural rhythm of life
• the band's rhythm section
• the steady rhythm of his heartbeat
• Doctors discovered that he had an abnormal heart rhythm.
• He can't seem to play in rhythm.
• I listened to the steady rhythm of her breathing.
• I love these jazz rhythms.
• She has a natural sense of rhythm.

• This piece of music has a very fast rhythm.

Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary

rhythm / ˈrɪð. ə m / noun

B2 [ C or U ] a strong pattern of sounds, words, or musical notes that is used in music, poetry, and dancing:

He beat out a jazz rhythm on the drums.

I've got no sense of rhythm, so I'm a terrible dancer.

B2 [ C or U ] a regular movement or pattern of movements:

She was lulled to sleep by the gentle rhythm of the boat in the water.

She hit the ball so hard that her opponent had no chance to establish any rhythm in her game.

[ C ] a regular pattern of change, especially one that happens in nature:

the rhythm of the seasons

Breathing and sleeping are examples of biological rhythms in humans.

Collins Advanced Learner’s English Dictionary

rhythm

[rɪ̱ðəm]
♦♦♦
rhythms
1) N-VAR A rhythm is a regular series of sounds or movements.
  His music of that period fused the rhythms of Jazz with classical forms...
  He had no sense of rhythm whatsoever...
  She could hear the constant rhythm of his breathing.
2) N-COUNT A rhythm is a regular pattern of changes, for example changes in your body, in the seasons, or in the tides.
  Begin to listen to your own body rhythms.
  ...the seasonal rhythm of the agricultural year.

Merriam-Webster's Advanced Learner's Dictionary

rhythm
rhythm /ˈrɪðəm/ noun, pl rhythms
1 : a regular, repeated pattern of sounds or movements

[count]

• The music has a fast/slow/steady rhythm. [=beat]
• African/Caribbean rhythms
- often + of
• the rhythm of the poetry
• the rhythm of his breathing
• the rhythm of the tides

[noncount]

• the composer's use of jazz rhythm
• He can't play/dance in rhythm. = He has no sense of rhythm. [=he cannot play/dance at the correct speed to stay with the rhythm of the music]
2 [count] : a regular, repeated pattern of events, changes, activities, etc.
• She enjoyed the rhythms of country life.
• Travel can disrupt your body's daily/biological/circadian rhythm.