tempo

Definitions

• A frequency or rate.
• (chess) A move which is part of one's own plan or strategy and forces, e.g. by means of a check or attacking a piece, the opponent to make a move which is not bad but of no use for him (the player gains a tempo, the opponent loses a tempo), or equivalently a player achieves the same result in fewer moves by one approach rather than another.
• (bridge) The timing advantage of being on lead, thus being first to initiate a strategy to develop tricks for one's side.
• The timing of a particular event – earlier or later than in an alternative situation (as in chess example)
• (music) The number of beats per minute in a piece of music; also, an indicative term denoting approximate rate of speed in written music (examples: allegro, andante)
• (cycling) The steady pace set by the frontmost riders.
• A small truck or cargo van with three or four wheels, commonly used for commercial transport and deliveries (particularly in Asian and African countries): a genericized trademark, originally associated with the manufacturer Vidal & Sohn Tempo-Werke GmbH.
• (American football) A rapid rate of play by the offense resulting from reducing the amount of time which elapses after one play ends and the next starts.