Syn″co‐pate (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p.Syncopated (?); p. pr. & vb. n.Syncopating.] [LL. syncopatus, p. p. of syncopare to syncopate, to swoon. See Syncope.] 1. (Gram.) To contract, as a word, by taking one or more letters or syllables from the middle; as, “Gloster” is a syncopated form of “Gloucester.”
2. (Mus.) To commence, as a tone, on an unaccented part of a measure, and continue it into the following accented part, so that the accent is driven back upon the weak part and the rhythm drags.