\Syn`co*pa"tion\, n.
1. (Gram.) The act of syncopating; the contraction of a word
   by taking one or more letters or syllables from the
   middle; syncope.
2. (Mus.) The act of syncopating; a peculiar figure of
   rhythm, or rhythmical alteration, which consists in
   welding into one tone the second half of one beat with the
   first half of the beat which follows.