tone down

noun

any sound considered with reference to its quality, pitch, strength, source, etc.: shrill tones.

quality or character of sound.

vocal sound; the sound made by vibrating muscular bands in the larynx.

a particular quality, way of sounding, modulation, or intonation of the voice as expressive of some meaning, feeling, spirit, etc.: a tone of command.

an accent peculiar to a person, people, locality, etc., or a characteristic mode of sounding words in speech.

stress of voice on a syllable of a word.

Linguistics. a musical pitch or movement in pitch serving to distinguish two words otherwise composed of the same sounds, as in Chinese.

Music.

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.

an interval equivalent to two semitones; a whole tone; a whole step.

any of the nine melodies or tunes to which Gregorian plainsong psalms are sung.

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.

the normal state of tension or responsiveness of the organs or tissues of the body.

that state of the body or of an organ in which all its functions are performed with healthy vigor.

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 1960s.

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), especially 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.

00:10

Tone down is always a great word to know.

So is bezoar. Does it mean:

a screen or mat covered with a dark material for shielding a camera lens from excess light or glare.

a calculus or concretion found in the stomach or intestines of certain animals, esp. ruminants, formerly reputed to be an effective remedy for poison.

LEARN MORE UNUSUAL WORDS WITH WORD DYNAMO...

verb (used without object)

26.

to take on a particular tone; assume color or tint.

Verb phrases

27.

tone down,

to become or cause to become softened or moderated: The newspaper toned down its attack.

Painting. to make (a color) less intense in hue; subdue.

28.

tone up,

to give a higher or stronger tone to.

to gain or cause to gain in tone or strength: toning up little-used muscles.

29.

tone (in) with, to harmonize in tone or coloring; blend: The painting tones with the room.

Origin:
1275–1325; Middle English (noun) < Latin tonus < Greek tónos strain, tone, mode, literally, a stretching, akin to teínein to stretch

Related forms

tone·less, adjective

tone·less·ly, adverb

tone·less·ness, noun

mul·ti·toned, adjective

non·toned, adjective

un·toned, adjective

well-toned, adjective

Synonyms
1. See sound¹. 15. spirit, quality, temper.

Link To tone down

Collins

World English Dictionary

tone (təʊn)

—n
1.	sound with reference to quality, pitch, or volume
2.	short for tone colour
3.	(US), (Canadian) another word for note
4.	(in acoustic analysis) a sound resulting from periodic or regular vibrations, composed either of a simple sinusoidal waveform (pure tone) or of several such waveforms superimposed upon one main one (compound tone)
5.	an interval of a major second; whole tone
6.	Also called: Gregorian tone any of several plainsong melodies or other chants used in the singing of psalms
7.	linguistics any of the pitch levels or pitch contours at which a syllable may be pronounced, such as high tone, falling tone, etc
8.	the quality or character of a sound: a nervous tone of voice
9.	general aspect, quality, or style: I didn't like the tone of his speech
10.	high quality or style: to lower the tone of a place
11.	the quality of a given colour, as modified by mixture with white or black; shade; tint: a tone of red
12.	physiol
	a. the normal tension of a muscle at rest
	b. the natural firmness of the tissues and normal functioning of bodily organs in health
13.	the overall effect of the colour values and gradations of light and dark in a picture
14.	photog a colour or shade of colour, including black or grey, of a particular area on a negative or positive that can be distinguished from surrounding lighter or darker areas

—vb (often foll by with)
15.	to be of a matching or similar tone (to): the curtains tone with the carpet
16.	(tr) to give a tone to or correct the tone of
17.	(tr) photog to soften or change the colour of the tones of (a photographic image) by chemical means
18.	(tr) to give greater firmness or strength to (the body or a part of the body)
19.	an archaic word for intone

[C14: from Latin tonus, from Greek tonos tension, tone, from teinein to stretch]

Tone (təʊn)

—n
	(Theobald) Wolfe. 1763--98, Irish nationalist, who founded (1791) the Society of United Irishmen and led (1798) French military forces to Ireland. He was captured and sentenced to death but committed suicide

tone down

—vb
	(adverb) to moderate or become moderated in tone: to tone down an argument; to tone down a bright colour

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 10th Edition
2009 © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009
Cite This Source

Etymonline

Word Origin & History

tone

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.

American Heritage

Medical Dictionary

tone (tōn)
n.

The quality or character of sound.
The character of voice expressing an emotion.
The normal state of elastic tension or partial contraction in resting muscles.
Normal firmness of a tissue or an organ.

v. toned, ton·ing, tones
To give tone or firmness to.

American Heritage

Abbreviations & Acronyms

TONE
Trial of Nonpharmacologic Interventions in the Elderly

American Heritage

Idioms & Phrases

tone down

Make less vivid, harsh, or violent; moderate. For example, That's a little too much rouge; I'd tone it down a bit, or Do you think I should tone down this letter of complaint? This idiom uses tone in the sense of "adjust the tone or quality of something," as does the antonym, tone up, meaning "brighten or strengthen." For example, These curtains will tone up the whole room, or This exercise is said to tone up the triceps. [Mid-1800s]

Matching Quote

"It makes me hate accepting things that are probable when they are held up before me as infallibly true. I prefer these words which tone down and modify the hastiness of our propositions: "Perhaps, In some sort, Some, They say, I think," and the like."

-Michel de Montaigne

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