any sound considered with reference to its quality, pitch, strength, source, etc.: shrill tones.
2.
quality or character of sound.
3.
vocal sound; the sound made by vibrating muscular bands in the larynx.
4.
a particular quality, way of sounding, modulation, or intonation of the voice as expressive of some meaning, feeling, spirit, etc.: a tone of command.
5.
an accent peculiar to a person, people, locality, etc., or a characteristic mode of sounding words in speech.
6.
stress of voice on a syllable of a word.
7.
Linguistics. a musical pitch or movement in pitch serving to distinguish two words otherwise composed of the same sounds, as in Chinese.
8.
Music.
a.
a musical sound of definite pitch, consisting of several relatively simple constituents called partial tones, the lowest of which is called the fundamental tone and the others harmonics or overtones.
b.
an interval equivalent to two semitones; a whole tone; a whole step.
c.
any of the nine melodies or tunes to which Gregorian plainsong psalms are sung.
9.
a quality of color with reference to the degree of absorption or reflection of light; a tint or shade; value.
10.
that distinctive quality by which colors differ from one another in addition to their differences indicated by chroma, tint, shade; a slight modification of a given color; hue: green with a yellowish tone.
11.
Art. the prevailing effect of harmony of color and values.
12.
Physiology.
a.
the normal state of tension or responsiveness of the organs or tissues of the body.
b.
that state of the body or of an organ in which all its functions are performed with healthy vigor.
c.
normal sensitivity to stimulation.
13.
a normal healthy mental condition.
14.
a particular mental state or disposition; spirit, character, or tenor.
15.
a particular style or manner, as of writing or speech; mood: the macabre tone of Poe's stories.
16.
prevailing character or style, as of manners, morals, or philosophical outlook: the liberal tone of the 1960's.
17.
style, distinction, or elegance.
–verb (used with object)
18.
to sound with a particular tone.
19.
to give the proper tone to (a musical instrument).
20.
to modify the tone or general coloring of.
21.
to give the desired tone to (a painting, drawing, etc.).
22.
Photography. to change the color of (a print), esp. by chemical means.
23.
to render as specified in tone or coloring.
24.
to modify the tone or character of.
25.
to give or restore physical or mental tone to.
–verb (used without object)
26.
to take on a particular tone; assume color or tint.
—Verb phrases
27.
tone down,
a.
to become or cause to become softened or moderated: The newspaper toned down its attack.
b.
Painting. to make (a color) less intense in hue; subdue.
28.
tone up,
a.
to give a higher or stronger tone to.
b.
to gain or cause to gain in tone or strength: toning up little-used muscles.
29.
tone with or in with, to harmonize in tone or coloring; blend: The painting tones with the room.
[Origin: 1275–1325; ME (n.) < L tonus < Gk tónos strain, tone, mode, lit., a stretching, akin to teínein to stretch]
ToneAudio Help (tōn) Pronunciation Key
Irish nationalist who helped secure Parliament's passage of the Catholic Relief Act of 1793 and planned a French invasion of Ireland (1796).
1340, from O.Fr. ton (13c.), from L. tonus "a sound, tone, accent," lit. "stretching" (in M.L., a term peculiar to music), from Gk. tonos "vocal pitch, raising of voice, accent, key in music," originally "a stretching, taut string," related to teinein "to stretch" (see tenet). Sense of "manner of speaking" is from 1610. First reference to firmness of body is from 1669. The verb meaning "to impart tone to" is recorded from 1811. Tonal is attested from 1776; atonal first attested 1922; tonality is from 1838.
the quality of a person's voice; "he began in a conversational tone"; "he spoke in a nervous tone of voice"
2.
(linguistics) a pitch or change in pitch of the voice that serves to distinguish words in tonal languages; "the Beijing dialect uses four tones"
3.
(music) the distinctive property of a complex sound (a voice or noise or musical sound); "the timbre of her soprano was rich and lovely"; "the muffled tones of the broken bell summoned them to meet" [syn: timbre]
4.
the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people; "the feel of the city excited him"; "a clergyman improved the tone of the meeting"; "it had the smell of treason" [syn: spirit]
5.
a quality of a given color that differs slightly from another color; "after several trials he mixed the shade of pink that she wanted" [syn: shade]
6.
a notation representing the pitch and duration of a musical sound; "the singer held the note too long" [syn: note]
7.
a steady sound without overtones; "they tested his hearing with pure tones of different frequencies"
8.
the elastic tension of living muscles, arteries, etc. that facilitate response to stimuli; "the doctor tested my tonicity" [syn: tonicity] [ant: amyotonia]
9.
a musical interval of two semitones
10.
the quality of something (an act or a piece of writing) that reveals the attitudes and presuppositions of the author; "the general tone of articles appearing in the newspapers is that the government should withdraw"; "from the tone of her behavior I gathered that I had outstayed my welcome"
verb
1.
utter monotonously and repetitively and rhythmically; "The students chanted the same slogan over and over again"
2.
vary the pitch of one's speech
3.
change the color or tone of; "tone a negative"
4.
change to a color image; "tone a photographic image"
5.
give a healthy elasticity to; "Let's tone our muscles"
(the quality of) a sound, especially a voice Example: He spoke in a low/angry/gentle tone; He told me about it in tones of disapproval; That singer/violin/piano has very good tone.
Arabic:
نَغْمَه، طَنين
Chinese (Simplified):
音调，语调
Chinese (Traditional):
音調，語調
Czech:
tón, zvuk
Danish:
tone
Dutch:
toon
Estonian:
toon, kõla
Finnish:
äänensävy
French:
ton
German:
der Ton
Greek:
τόνος, ήχος
Hungarian:
hang; tónus
Icelandic:
tónn
Indonesian:
suara
Italian:
tono
Japanese:
声の調子
Korean:
음조, 어조
Latvian:
tonis
Lithuanian:
tonas
Norwegian:
klang, tone(fall)
Polish:
ton
Portuguese (Brazil):
tom
Portuguese (Portugal):
tom
Romanian:
ton, timbru
Russian:
тон; тембр
Slovak:
tón, zvuk
Slovenian:
ton
Spanish:
tono
Swedish:
ton, tonfall
Turkish:
ton (ses)
tone2[təun]noun
a shade of colour Example: various tones of green
Arabic:
دَرَجَة اللوْن
Chinese (Simplified):
色调
Chinese (Traditional):
色調
Czech:
tón
Danish:
tone; nuance
Dutch:
tint
Estonian:
värvitoon
Finnish:
värisävy
French:
ton
German:
der Farbton
Greek:
απόχρωση
Hungarian:
(szín)árnyalat
Icelandic:
litbrigði, tónn
Indonesian:
sifat
Italian:
tono
Japanese:
色合
Korean:
색조
Latvian:
tonis; nokrāsa
Lithuanian:
atspalvis
Norwegian:
nyanse, fargetone
Polish:
odcień
Portuguese (Brazil):
tom
Portuguese (Portugal):
tom
Romanian:
ton, nuanţă
Russian:
оттенок
Slovak:
tón
Slovenian:
odtenek
Spanish:
tono
Swedish:
ton
Turkish:
ton (renk)
tone3[təun]noun
firmness of body or muscle Example: Your muscles lack tone — you need exercise.
Arabic:
صَلابَه
Chinese (Simplified):
肌体的结实度
Chinese (Traditional):
肌體的結實度
Czech:
tonus
Danish:
styrke
Dutch:
tonus
Estonian:
pingus
Finnish:
jäntevyys
French:
tonus
German:
die Spannkraft
Greek:
μυϊκός τόνος
Hungarian:
tónus (izmoké stb.)
Icelandic:
gott líkamlegt ástand
Indonesian:
kekekaran
Italian:
tono
Japanese:
健康な状態
Korean:
건강 상태
Latvian:
tonuss
Lithuanian:
stangrumas
Norwegian:
(muskel)tonus
Polish:
elastyczność
Portuguese (Brazil):
tono
Portuguese (Portugal):
tónus
Romanian:
tonus
Russian:
тонус
Slovak:
tonus
Slovenian:
tonus
Spanish:
tono
Swedish:
spänst
Turkish:
güç, beden sağlığı
tone4[təun]noun
in music, one of the larger intervals in an octave eg between C and D
Arabic:
طَبقَة الصَّوْت
Chinese (Simplified):
全音程
Chinese (Traditional):
全音程
Czech:
tón
Danish:
heltone
Dutch:
toon
Estonian:
toon, suur sekund
Finnish:
kokosävelaskel
French:
ton
German:
der (Ganz-)Ton
Greek:
τόνος (μουσ.)
Hungarian:
egész hang
Icelandic:
heiltónn
Indonesian:
nada
Italian:
tono
Japanese:
楽音
Korean:
온음정
Latvian:
tonis
Lithuanian:
tonacija
Norwegian:
heltone
Polish:
ton
Portuguese (Brazil):
tom
Portuguese (Portugal):
tom
Romanian:
ton
Russian:
тон
Slovak:
tón
Slovenian:
ton
Spanish:
tono
Swedish:
helton
Turkish:
ton, aralık
tone[təun]verb
to fit in well; to blend Example: The brown sofa tones (in) well with the walls.
Main Entry: 1tone Pronunciation: 'tOn Function: noun 1: a sound of definite pitch and vibration 2 a: the state of a
living body or of any of its organs or parts in which the functions are healthy and performed with due vigor b: normal tension or responsiveness to stimuli; specifically:TONUS 2
Di`a*ton"ic\, a. [L. diatonicus, diatonus, Gr. ?, ?, fr. ? to stretch out; dia` through + ? to stretch: cf. F. diatonique. See Tone.] (Mus.) Pertaining to the scale of eight tones, the eighth of which is the octave of the first. Diatonic scale (Mus.), a scale consisting of eight sounds with seven intervals, of which two are semitones and five are whole tones; a modern major or minor scale, as distinguished from the chromatic scale.
In*tone"\, v. t. [imp. & p. p. Intoned; p. pr. & vb. n. Intoning.] [LL. intonare, intonatum; pref. in- in + L. tonus tone. See Tone and cf. Entune, Intonate.] To utter with a musical or prolonged note or tone; to chant; as, to intone the church service.
![[P]](http://cache.lexico.com/g/d/premium_mh.gif){kind=small}
Audio Help [tohn] Pronunciation Key, noun, verb, toned, ton·ing. 
n)
