\Des"cant\ (d[e^]s"k[a^]nt), n. [OF. descant, deschant,
F. d['e]chant, discant, LL. discantus, fr. L. dis + cantus
singing, melody, fr. canere to sing. See {Chant}, and cf.
{Descant}, v. i., {Discant}.]
1. (Mus.)
   (a) Originally, a double song; a melody or counterpoint
       sung above the plain song of the tenor; a variation of
       an air; a variation by ornament of the main subject or
       plain song.
   (b) The upper voice in part music.
   (c) The canto, cantus, or soprano voice; the treble.
       --Grove.
             Twenty doctors expound one text twenty ways, as
             children make descant upon plain song.
                                               --Tyndale.
             She [the nightingale] all night long her amorous
             descant sung.                     --Milton.
Note: The term has also been used synonymously with
      counterpoint, or polyphony, which developed out of the
      French d['e]chant, of the 12th century.
2. A discourse formed on its theme, like variations on a
   musical air; a comment or comments.
         Upon that simplest of themes how magnificent a
         descant!                              --De Quincey.

\Des*cant"\ (d[e^]s*k[a^]nt"), v. i. [imp. & p. p.
{Descanted}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Descanting}.] [From descant;
n.; or directly fr. OF. descanter, deschanter; L. dis- +
cantare to sing.]
1. To sing a variation or accomplishment.
2. To comment freely; to discourse with fullness and
   particularity; to discourse at large.
         A virtuous man should be pleased to find people
         descanting on his actions.            --Addison.