| 释义 |
ton·ic
I. \ˈtänik, -nēk\ adjective
Etymology: Greek tonikos of tension, of tone, from tonos tension, tone + -ikos -ic — more at tone
1.
a. : relating to or characterized by tension
b. : producing or adapted to produce healthy muscular condition and reaction
c. of muscular contraction : maintained during prolonged periods : characterized by tonus — contrasted with clonic
d. of bodily states : marked or characterized by tonic muscular contraction
< tonic convulsions >
2.
a. : increasing or restoring physical or mental tone : having the virtue or effect of a stimulant : invigorating, refreshing, bracing
< a tonic quality in her laughter — Agnes Repplier >
< tonic air of the upland morning put vigor into his blood — John Buchan >
< tonic therapy >
b. : yielding a tonic substance
3. : relating to or based on the first tone of the scale
< tonic harmony >
4.
a. : voiced 2
b. of a syllable : bearing a principal stress or accent — compare posttonic, pretonic
5. : of or relating to speech tones or to languages using them : employing tones to distinguish words
< Chinese is a tonic language >
II. noun
(-s)
1.
a. : a drug, medicine, or physical agent that increases body tone
< digitalis acts as a heart tonic by increasing cardiac tone >
< sun baths are a tonic in some respiratory diseases >
b. : something that invigorates, restores, refreshes, or stimulates
< his fear acted as a tonic >
c. : a liquid preparation for cleansing and toning the scalp
d. chiefly New England : a carbonated flavored beverage : soda pop
2. : the first degree of a major or minor scale constituting the tonal center of a musical composition which has an established tonality — called also keynote
3. : a voiced sound
III. transitive verb
(tonicked ; tonicked ; tonicking ; tonics)
Etymology: tonic (II)
: to give a tonic to : strengthen by a tonic
< tonicked her children every winter with cod-liver oil > |