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.
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.
Art. the prevailing effect of harmony of color and values.
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.
a normal healthy mental condition.
a particular mental state or disposition; spirit, character, or tenor.
a particular style or manner, as of writing or speech; mood: the macabre tone of Poe's stories.
prevailing character or style, as of manners, morals, or philosophical outlook: the liberal tone of the 1960s.
style, distinction, or elegance.
verb (used with object),toned,ton·ing.
to sound with a particular tone.
to give the proper tone to (a musical instrument).
to modify the tone or general coloring of.
to give the desired tone to (a painting, drawing, etc.).
Photography. to change the color of (a print), especially by chemical means.
to render as specified in tone or coloring.
to modify the tone or character of.
to give or restore physical or mental tone to.
verb (used without object),toned,ton·ing.
to take on a particular tone; assume color or tint.
Verb Phrases
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.
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.
tone (in) with,to harmonize in tone or coloring; blend: The painting tones with the room.
Origin of tone
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English (noun), from Latin tonus, from Greek tónos “strain, tone, mode,” literally, “a stretching,” akin to teínein “to stretch”
It’s very difficult to imagine the first installment in a studio comedy based on an original concept, especially a comedy that has the tone of this one, coming out today, at least in theaters.
The essential kindness of Bill and Ted|Alissa Wilkinson|August 28, 2020|Vox
US developer HireVue says its software speeds up the hiring process by 90 percent by having applicants answer identical questions and then scoring them according to language, tone, and facial expressions.
Algorithms Workers Can’t See Are Increasingly Pulling the Management Strings|Tom Barratt|August 28, 2020|Singularity Hub
Hamilton had spent decades prior to 1980 sifting through weather station data for hints of the lowest atmospheric tones.
Global Wave Discovery Ends 220-Year Search|Charlie Wood|August 13, 2020|Quanta Magazine
The tone of what I’m told is the Silent Generation really changed in the 60s.
What Are 7 Words To Describe The Silent Generation?|Candice Bradley|August 4, 2020|Everything After Z
Just as AI systems can be trained to tell the difference between a picture of a dog and one of a cat, they can learn to differentiate between an angry tone of voice or facial expression and a happy one.
Cars Will Soon Be Able to Sense and React to Your Emotions|Vanessa Bates Ramirez|July 29, 2020|Singularity Hub
“Call me when the plane leaves the ground,” she said, in a tone that implied she knew her husband well.
Mario Cuomo, a Frustrating Hero to Democrats, Is Dead at 82|Eleanor Clift|January 2, 2015|DAILY BEAST
Ramos would help set the tone of the day when he greeted the arriving students outside the school.
In The Shadow of Murdered Cops|Michael Daly|December 26, 2014|DAILY BEAST
And he says that with something he does share with Christopher—a tone of absolute, self-assured certainty.
The Brit Who Stormed Broadway|Tim Teeman|December 7, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The tone of the declaration is radically different from “A few sentences.”
How Havel Inspired the Velvet Revolution|Michael Zantovsky|December 6, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Far from a rant, her tone throughout is cool and methodical, and her critiques are couched more in sorrow than in anger.
Was Reporter Sharyl Attkisson Too Right-Wing for CBS?|Lloyd Grove|October 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Without looking up, or changing his tone, he asked the child if she had had a fall since the cast had been changed.
An American Suffragette|Isaac N. Stevens
"I don't recall having——" Then he gets a good look at Old Hickory, and his tone changes sudden.
Torchy, Private Sec.|Sewell Ford
"Exactly," said Dr. Brighton-Pomfrey in a tone that defined his own position with remorseless clearness.
Soul of a Bishop|H. G. Wells
The tone of a good kettledrum is sonorous, rich, and of great power.
Miriam spoke unguardedly, but Evie was too preoccupied to notice the bitterness of the tone.
The Wild Olive|Basil King
British Dictionary definitions for tone (1 of 2)
tone
/ (təʊn) /
noun
sound with reference to quality, pitch, or volume
short for tone colour
US and Canadian another word for note (def. 10)
(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)
an interval of a major second; whole tone
Also called: Gregorian toneany of several plainsong melodies or other chants used in the singing of psalms
linguisticsany of the pitch levels or pitch contours at which a syllable may be pronounced, such as high tone, falling tone, etc
the quality or character of a sounda nervous tone of voice
general aspect, quality, or styleI didn't like the tone of his speech
high quality or styleto lower the tone of a place
the quality of a given colour, as modified by mixture with white or black; shade; tinta tone of red
physiol
the normal tension of a muscle at rest
the natural firmness of the tissues and normal functioning of bodily organs in health
the overall effect of the colour values and gradations of light and dark in a picture
photoga 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
verb
(intr often foll by with) to be of a matching or similar tone (to)the curtains tone with the carpet
(tr)to give a tone to or correct the tone of
photog(tr)to soften or change the colour of the tones of (a photographic image) by chemical means
(tr)to give greater firmness or strength to (the body or a part of the body)
an archaic word for intone
See also tone down, tone up
Word Origin for tone
C14: from Latin tonus, from Greek tonos tension, tone, from teinein to stretch
British Dictionary definitions for tone (2 of 2)
Tone
/ (təʊn) /
noun
(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
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