Tone
English Meaning
Sound, or the character of a sound, or a sound considered as of this or that character; as, a low, high, loud, grave, acute, sweet, or harsh tone.
- Music A sound of distinct pitch, quality, and duration; a note.
- Music The interval of a major second in the diatonic scale; a whole step.
- Music A recitational melody in a Gregorian chant.
- The quality or character of sound.
- The characteristic quality or timbre of a particular instrument or voice.
- The pitch of a word used to determine its meaning or to distinguish differences in meaning.
- The particular or relative pitch of a word, phrase, or sentence.
- Manner of expression in speech or writing: took an angry tone with the reporters.
- A general quality, effect, or atmosphere: a room with an elegant tone.
- A color or shade of color: light tones of blue.
- Quality of color: The green wallpaper had a particularly somber tone.
- The general effect in painting of light, color, and shade.
- Physiology The normal state of elastic tension or partial contraction in resting muscles.
- Physiology Normal firmness of a tissue or an organ.
- To give a particular tone or inflection to.
- To soften or change the color of (a painting or photographic negative, for example).
- To sound monotonously; intone.
- To make firmer or stronger. Often used with up: exercises that tone up the body.
- To assume a particular color quality.
- To harmonize in color.
- tone down To make less vivid, harsh, or violent; moderate.