1. A fall, a decline; a state of sinking.
2. A fall of the voice in reading or speaking, as at the end of a sentence; also, the falling of the voice in the general modulation of tones in reciting. In reading or speaking, a certain tone is taken, which is called the key, or key-note, on which mot of the words are pronounced, and the fall of the voice below this tone is called cadence.
3. The ordinary cadence is a fall of the last syllable of a sentence only.
4. The general tone of reading verse. The cadence of one line must be a rule to that of the next; as the sound of the former must slide gently into that which follows.
7. Also, the manner of closing a song; embellishment at the close.
8. In horsemanship, an equal measure or proportion observed by a horse in all his motions.
9. In heraldry, the distinction of families.