in Music, signifies, in general, a song where some little figures are introduced; but it is sometimes used for a sort of Italian poem, usually pretty long, for which music may be composed in the style of a cantata. If this term be added to a piece of instrumental music, it signifies much the same as cantata; if placed in any part of a sonata, it implies the same as allegro, and only denotes that the part to which it is prefixed is to be played or sung in a brisk and lively manner.