The New Student's Reference Work/Metronome

Metronome (mĕt′rō̇-nōm), an instrument for dividing or “beating” time, used chiefly in the study of music.  As ordinarily constructed, it looks like an inverted pendulum swaying before a pyramid, the pendulum being moved by clockwork and the motion retarded or accelerated by sliding up or down a metal weight appended to the wire.  If this weight be near the point of suspension, the motion will be rapid; if near the top, correspondingly slow.