tone

tone [tōn]

n.

[ME < OFr & L: OFr ton < L tonus, a sound < Gr tonos, a stretching, tone < teinein, to stretch: see THIN]

1.

a) a vocal or musical sound

b) its quality

2. an intonation, pitch, modulation, etc. of the voice that expresses a particular meaning or feeling of the speaker [a tone of contempt]

3. a manner of speaking or writing that shows a certain attitude on the part of the speaker or writer, consisting in choice of words, phrasing, etc. [the friendly tone of her letter]

4. normal resilience or elasticity [rubber that has lost its tone]

5.

a) the prevailing or predominant style, character, spirit, trend, morale, or state of morals of a place or period [the cultured tone of their house]

b) distinctive style; elegance [paintings that lent the room tone]

6.

a) a quality or value of color; tint; shade

b) any of the slight modifications of a particular color; hue [three tones of green]

7. Linguis.

a) the relative height of pitch with which a syllable, word, etc. is pronounced

b) the relative height of pitch that is a phoneme of a language and distinguishes meaning, as in the tone languages

8. Music

a) a sound that is distinct and identifiable by its regularity of vibration, or constant pitch (as distinguished from a noise), and that may be put into harmonic relation with other such sounds

b) the simple or fundamental tone of a musical sound as distinguished from its overtones

c) any one of the full intervals of a diatonic scale; whole step

d) any of several recitation melodies used in singing the psalms in plainsong

9. Painting the effect produced by the combination of light, shade, and color

10. Physiol.

a) the condition of an organism, organ, or part with reference to its normal, healthy functioning

b) the normal tension, or resistance to stretch, of a healthy muscle, independent of that caused by voluntary innervation; tonus

vt.

toned, toning

1. Rare INTONE

2. to give a tone to; specif., to give the proper or desired tone to (a musical instrument, a painting, etc.)

3. to change the tone of

4. Photog. to change or alter the color of (a print) by chemical means

vi.

to assume a tone

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tone down

1. to give a lower or less intense tone to

2. to become softened

3. to make (something written or said) less harsh or more moderate

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tone in with

to harmonize with

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tone up

1. to give a higher or more intense tone to

2. to become strengthened or heightened

toneless

adj.

tonelessly

adv.

tonelessness

n.