tone
noun
1. the quality of a person's voice
- he began in a conversational tone
- he spoke in a nervous tone of voice
Definition categories: communication, delivery, speech
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
Definition categories: attribute, pitch
3. (music) the distinctive property of a complex sound (a voice or noise or musical sound)
- the muffled tones of the broken bell summoned them to meet
Similar word(s): quality, timber, timbre
Definition categories: attribute
4. the general atmosphere of a place or situation and the effect that it has on people
- a clergyman improved the tone of the meeting
Similar word(s): feel, feeling, flavor, flavour, look, smell, spirit
Definition categories: state, ambiance, ambience, atmosphere
5. a quality of a given color that differs slightly from another color
Similar word(s): shade, tincture, tint
Definition categories: attribute, color, coloring, colour, colouring
6. a notation representing the pitch and duration of a musical sound
Similar word(s): note
Definition categories: communication
7. a steady sound without overtones
- they tested his hearing with pure tones of different frequencies
Definition categories: thought, sound
8. the elastic tension of living muscles, arteries, etc. that facilitate response to stimuli
Similar word(s): tonicity, tonus
Definition categories: state, tautness, tenseness, tension, tensity
9. a musical interval of two semitones
Similar word(s): step
Definition categories: communication, interval
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
Definition categories: attribute, quality
Sentences with tone as a noun:
- Her rousing speech gave an upbeat tone to the rest of the evening.
- Children often read with a tone.
- This picture has tone.
pronoun
1. (now dialectal) The one (of two).
verb
1. utter monotonously and repetitively and rhythmically
Similar word(s): chant, intone
Definition categories: communication, mouth, speak, talk, utter, verbalise, verbalize
2. vary the pitch of one's speech
Similar word(s): inflect, modulate
Definition categories: communication, mouth, speak, talk, utter, verbalise, verbalize
3. change the color or tone of
- tone a negative
Definition categories: change, color, colour, discolor, discolour
4. change to a color image
- tone a photographic image
Definition categories: change, color, colorise, colorize, colour, colourise, colourize
5. give a healthy elasticity to
- Let's tone our muscles
Similar word(s): strengthen