Se"quence (?), n. [F. s'equence, L. sequentia, fr. sequens. See Sequent.]
1.
The state of being sequent; succession; order of following; arrangement.
How art thou a king
But by fair sequence and succession?
Shak.
Sequence and series of the seasons of the year.
Bacon.
2.
That which follows or succeeds as an effect; sequel; consequence; result.
The inevitable sequences of sin and punishment.
Bp. Hall.
3. Philos.
Simple succession, or the coming after in time, without asserting or implying causative energy; as, the reactions of chemical agents may be conceived as merely invariable sequences.
4. Mus. (a)
Any succession of chords (or harmonic phrase) rising or falling by the regular diatonic degrees in the same scale; a succession of similar harmonic steps.
(b)
A melodic phrase or passage successively repeated one tone higher; a rosalia.
5. R.C.Ch.
A hymn introduced in the Mass on certain festival days, and recited or sung immediately before the gospel, and after the gradual or introit, whence the name.
Bp. Fitzpatrick.
Originally the sequence was called a Prose, because its early form was rhythmical prose.
Shipley.
6. Card Playing (a) Whist
Three or more cards of the same suit in immediately consecutive order of value; as, ace, king, and queen; or knave, ten, nine, and eight.
(b) Poker
All five cards, of a hand, in consecutive order as to value, but not necessarily of the same suit; when of one suit, it is called a sequence flush.
<-- sequence is usu. called a run, and five are now called straight and straight flush -->
© Webster 1913.