| 释义 |
Definition of tone in English: tonenoun təʊntoʊn 1A musical or vocal sound with reference to its pitch, quality, and strength. they were speaking in hushed tones the piano tone appears lacking in warmth Example sentencesExamples - By the time the entrées arrived, I found myself taking tiny bites and talking in hushed tones about the quality of the parsnips in my soup.
- Imagine my surprise when they spontaneously sang with me again, but this time in hushed and reverent tones.
- Gruppman's bracing attack and Kosower's warmly resonant tone enlivened the Allegro finale.
- The attractive part of the vocal delivery is the tone, the snotty sneer with which nearly every line is delivered.
- Oistrakh's warm tone ensures that the concerto's melodic content is not compromised, in spite of his gutsy playing.
- She also sings rather well, with a husky, sensual tone hinting at a passion lurking under all those crinolines.
- On 'The Bird and Phoenix', he achieves an impressionistic, plaintive tone on flute.
- There was no speaking in hushed tones at this compact dining room full of chatty, laughing customers.
- It employs a single reed and has a very pure tone with no vibrato although this can be induced by use of the bellows.
- Yes, his name is uttered amongst the musical cognoscenti in hushed tones.
- The Octet's members placed a high priority on a full singing tone, honeyed legato playing, and warm, genial musicianship.
- The playing throughout is crisp, featuring beautiful, full, round tones and distinct single note lines.
- He continued to ponder this as he moved across the room to where several of his men were standing speaking in hushed, worried tones.
- Kevin and Faith were not far from him speaking in hushed tones.
- Violinist Adela Pena played with a penetrating tone and trenchant musicality.
- She is blessed with the cool, crystalline tone so characteristic of Scandinavian singers.
- The darkly resonant tones of the lower strings in the opening Largo were a prelude to the precise, crisp attack of the violins in the succeeding Allegro molto.
- But they soon learned the distinctive sound of each engine and found the familiar tones of the passing traffic a comfort rather than a disturbance.
- She started to laugh, the musical tones reverberating through the halls before quieting.
- He opened his mouth and began to say something, but stopped short, and stared at Naomi for a second before continuing in a hushed tone.
Synonyms timbre, sound, sound quality, voice, voice quality, colour, tone colour, tonality, resonance, ring - 1.1 A modulation of the voice expressing a particular feeling or mood.
Example sentencesExamples - I can see their expression and hear their tone of voice now, clear as anything.
- I can normally tell, just from her tone of voice down the telephone line, how she's feeling.
- Try changing your tone of voice to break the pattern.
- Despite the dismissive tone of voice, a serious expression crossed her face.
- I didn't know what that meant exactly, but her tone signaled the end of the discussion.
- She was excited, but couldn't manage a happy tone of voice to express it.
- His voice had struck a conversational tone that grated on her nerves.
- The tone of voice in the transcripts is revealing.
- ‘I'm turning into a bit of a dragon,’ she says, in a tone of voice that could hardly be less dragon-like.
- For a moment during this litany, her tone of voice takes on a sharp, exasperated edge.
- ‘That was how our grandfathers and father lived - those are our rules,’ says one man in a firm tone of voice.
- Keeping track of your tone of voice, volume and inflection is also a good idea.
- Only Trent noticed the mocking tone in Matt's voice and he hated him for it.
- I couldn't hear the sarcastic tone in her voice and I felt jealousy rising in me.
- First she tried sweet-talking him, using a sugary-sweet tone of voice to put him in a good mood and then happily suggesting that he let her out for some exercise.
- Ah well, you'll just have to imagine what my dulcet tones sound like.
- Without the facial expressions and tone of voice that play so great a part in human communication, comments may become at best ambiguous, at worst offensive.
- I could see some of the excitement drain out of her expression and her tone of voice changed.
- But I'm sure my tone of voice and facial expression got my point across.
- Her voice held a tone of finality that signaled the end of the discussion.
Synonyms intonation, tone of voice, mode of expression, expression, inflection, pitch, modulation, accentuation - 1.2 A musical note or other sound used as a signal on a telephone or answering machine.
Example sentencesExamples - She quickly dialled Izzy's Scottish number but was answered by a busy tone.
- His mobile telephone rang with a tone indicating he was in Spain but was switched off without a word being said.
- It took at least three tones before someone answered.
- The harsh tone of the telephone disrupts my slumber.
- I make sure the volume on my beep tone is always turned up as high as it will go.
- The telephone beside Andrew rang, and he answered after a single tone.
Synonyms note, beep, bleep, meep, whine, buzz, warble, burr, signal
2The general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing, situation, etc. my friend and I lowered the tone with our oafish ways there was a general tone of ill-concealed glee in the reporting Example sentencesExamples - The general tone of this album is quite serious, heavily laden with food-for-thought political rants.
- She'd written most of the lyrics, and it was surprising that he'd caught on about the general tone of the piece.
- Also not susceptible to compromise was the decision to restrict beer consumption to two beer gardens, in keeping with the family tone of the event.
- And yet there is no disputing that the event, its militant tone and its choice of target will provoke terrible memories and associations.
- The city's atmosphere sets just the right tone: warm, spontaneous and charged with sultry glamour.
- That has been the general tone of media reporting of the affair.
- The general tone of the piece was quite positive.
- I'm also a little stunned by the tone of the piece.
- Instructors set the emotional tone of the class.
- Throughout all of this, the emphasis is on atmosphere and tone.
- The lack of a clear atmosphere or tone turns what could have been passionate into just passable.
- Nonetheless, I found the general tone of the film to be inspirational rather than offensive.
- I am most happy with the fact that the general tone of your newspaper is moderate and very optimistic.
- The events of this year have set the tone for a less giddy new year's celebration and perhaps one more for reflection.
- The show seemed oddly just a little light in tone, at least relative to the general tone of the series.
- Despite the modern setting, the films are Victorian in tone and atmosphere.
- However, I take exception to the general tone of his letter.
- His wit and poise set the tone for the afternoon event, which was seasoned with songs from Randall's performing friends.
- Excessively muted in tone and atmosphere, they seem remote now, as if filtered through gauze.
- He uses everything at his disposal to maintain a moody, atmospheric tone.
- A couple of moments might make you jump but overall it's a promise the film just can't keep as tension quickly fades into a tone of general monotony.
- Though he makes some brief excursions into consciously literary forms, the overall tone of his writing is terse, colloquial, practical, laconic.
- The Inquiry we are conducting is inquisitorial and not adversarial in tone, content or character.
- They also wanted to have the conference at a place of higher learning in order to set a tranquil and academic tone for the event.
- The past two years have been overshadowed by real-world events that have given the awards a somber tone.
- The general tone of the last three days continues, albeit slightly calmer.
- I hate those twenty-four hour periods when a single event sets the tone for the whole rotation.
- Computers crash, characters bicker, and the general tone of the series is somewhat grim, with occasional bursts of humor.
- The general tone of the piece is cynical, morbid and unpleasantly other-worldly.
- Interesting images are available through this gateway, and although the content varies from provider to provider, the general tone is one of intelligent, critical inquiry.
- I would agree wholeheartedly with the general tone of the article.
- Nevertheless, despite the low-key tone to events 40 Christmas trees have been shipped out to lend a more festive feel to proceedings.
- This was a discouraging event that set the tone for the long week that lay ahead.
Synonyms mood, quality, feel, style, note, air, attitude, character, spirit, flavour, grain, temper, humour, effect tenor, vein, drift, gist - 2.1informal mass noun An atmosphere of respectability or class.
they don't feel he gives the place tone
3A basic interval in classical Western music, equal to two semitones and separating, for example, the first and second notes of an ordinary scale (such as C and D, or E and F sharp); a major second. the B flat clarinet's part is written one tone higher than the pitch required Example sentencesExamples - At the climax of the third chant, she so subdivides her forces that eventually, all twelve tones of the chromatic scale are encompassed.
- The Hellenistic mind of the Byzantines allowed musicians to draw systems of tones from the music of ancient Greece.
- For example, a rising whole tone interval is mirrored by a falling whole tone interval.
- He uses this music to introduce octaves, accented rhythms, a whole tone scale and a continuous cross-hand pattern.
- Ideally, I try to warm-up to a tone or two above the performance's highest note.
4The particular quality of brightness, deepness, or hue of a shade of a colour. stained glass in vivid tones of red and blue mass noun an attractive colour which is even in tone and texture Example sentencesExamples - The drawing is notable for its wonderful use of soft pencil, which permits fine gradations of tone and texture.
- Other than delicate pink flesh tones, heavenly shades of blue predominate, accented with green and white.
- Alternate different tones of green to prevent them from becoming completely camouflaged.
- I enjoy the search for new shades of established colours, and I look forward to merging them with my base tones and creating a different vision of how I perceive things to be.
- Extraordinarily subtle gradations of hue and tone at the perimeters heighten the ethereal appearance of the whole.
- Building on continental lessons, he developed a technique of using thin washes of colour in muted tones to create an impression of transparency.
- The neck is longer and more elegant, the underglaze blue cobalt lighter and purer in tone, and the porcelain itself whiter and with fewer occlusions.
- No matter what the bright colours, whether orange, sweet pink tones, neutral colours or just black and white, they will all be widely seen.
- A student of the subject at A-Level, he favours a mixture of painting and printing techniques, and his pictures suggest a preference for modern art as well as earthy colours and tones.
- Light pink gets lost next to the yellow and dark pink is too close in tone to the red.
- The walls, adjustable lighting and curtains are all in warm colour tones to ease anxiety.
- The palette also includes colours inspired by skin tones: blush, flesh, coffee, caramel, nut and cinnamon.
- His visible brushstrokes in the foreground and creamy subdued tones interspersed with bright oranges and red hues are very seductive.
- Her trademark knitwear combines earthy tones with vivid colourful trims.
- The temperature is just right, there's a clear scent in the air, and the colours and tones of the falling leaves is absolutely beautiful to me.
- After the war his painting lost much of its intensity, with pastel tones replacing the bold, sometimes harsh colours he had earlier used.
- The paintings seem at first to be sombre in tone, coloured mostly by umbers and sepia-like hues.
- We often take color for granted, not bothering to notice the subtle hues, tones and intensities that surround us.
- John finds that artist pencils allow him to better express his artistic creativity than the brush because of the aspect of detail and layers of tone and texture which can be obtained.
- Their neutral tone will balance the bright hues of the coolest polo shirts of the season, and offset your trendy jeans.
Synonyms tint, shade, colour, hue, tinge, cast, tincture harmonize, go, go well, blend, fit, coordinate, team, accord match, suit, complement - 4.1mass noun The general effect of colour or of light and shade in a picture.
Example sentencesExamples - I'm sure the genius that was Joseph Mallord William Turner, landscaping master of light, tone and shade would fully endorse some of the previous groundbreaking entries.
- In its details and rich nuances of tone and texture, the drawing is an impressive demonstration of Rembrandt's genius.
- Light's bleaching glare may saturate the picture plane, obscuring tone, details and minute particulars.
- Murray's handling of paint, tone and colour is flawless.
- His use of shade, tone and colour is different from many of his stylised drawings of the past, where the simplicity of line seemed to dominate over the human subject.
- Picasso is not interested in describing tone, depth, or form.
- This work is stark and reductive in colour and tone.
- Here Turner had moved away from recording topography and was preoccupied with achieving specific effects of light and tone.
- 4.2 A slight degree of difference in the intensity of a colour.
5Phonetics
(in some languages, such as Chinese) a particular pitch pattern on a syllable used to make semantic distinctions. Example sentencesExamples - Hmong is monosyllabic and tonal, meaning that it consists mainly of one-syllable words and that the tone of a word affects meaning.
- Ethnic Liberian languages usually contain two or three distinct tones, based on pitch, which indicate semantic or grammatical differences.
- Its lingua franca is Cantonese, a dialect that has six tones compared to the four tones of standard mandarin Chinese.
- Chinese pronunciation involves four tones, each indicated by a tone mark.
- Every syllable has an associated tone or pitch - high, low, medium, falling, rising, or whatever.
- 5.1 (in some languages, such as English) intonation on a word or phrase used to add functional meaning.
Example sentencesExamples - In English, these tones suggest finality, the fall frequently occurring at the end of a statement, the rise at the end of a yes-no question.
6mass noun The normal level of firmness or slight contraction in a resting muscle. a reduction of muscle tone a certain amount of daily exercise is essential to maintain proper body tone and function Example sentencesExamples - Norepinephrine and serotonin are involved in the loss of muscle tone during REM sleep.
- Many signs are noticeable at birth, such as low muscle tone, small nose, short fingers, and flexible joints.
- His muscle tone was mildly low but within the reference range.
- Physical boosts in endurance, muscle tone, body composition and blood flow can all improve sexual functioning.
- Drinking water also helps maintain proper muscle tone, which aids muscle contraction.
- The electroencephalogram, eye movements, and muscle tone are monitored.
- Walker is intent on maintaining muscle tone in his lower body.
- I agree with him that upper airway muscle tone is decreased during sleep and is an important component of obstructive sleep apnea.
- They improve muscle tone, circulation and physiological efficiency and build up strength, stamina and flexibility.
- The Apgar score was based on heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and skin color.
- Tetanus causes increased muscle tone and spasms especially in the neck and jaw muscles.
- Babies with achondroplasia have poor muscle tone, often leading to delays in learning to sit, stand and walk.
- With that low activity level, they are likely to lose muscle tone throughout their body.
- Other infants may develop low muscle tone, seizures, heart failure and coma, often following an illness.
- His muscle tone is normal for gestational age and response to stimulation is good.
- This program consisted of ambulation with portable oxygen and arm exercises to maintain muscle tone.
- Staying active will help to maintain muscle tone and function.
- These children should be followed closely from birth and their development and muscle tone should be evaluated on a periodic basis.
- These children tend to be underweight and emaciated, with decreased muscle tone.
- Physical exercise also is encouraged to assist in weight reduction and increase muscle tone.
- 6.1Physiology The normal level of activity in a nerve fibre.
Example sentencesExamples - Sinus bradycardia is common in normal individuals during sleep and in those with high vagal tone, such as athletes and young healthy adults.
- Abnormal exams included clearly severe abnormalities in motor tone, levels of activity, or delays.
- An increase of vagal tone after exercise occasionally can lead to episodes of atrial fibrillation.
- Sinus node dysfunction can occur perioperatively because of increased vagal tone caused by anesthesia or surgical intervention.
- Apparently, the increase in ectopic beats might be related to the increase in vagal tone.
verb təʊntoʊn [with object]1Give greater strength or firmness to (the body or a muscle) exercise tones up the muscles Example sentencesExamples - The goal is to strengthen and tone muscles while improving balance, coordination, core strength and body awareness.
- It tones the entire body while strengthening the cardiovascular system.
- It is also great for toning your upper body, arms and leg muscles.
- It seemed like every muscle in her body was perfectly toned and tanned, and she looked amazing.
- The backstroke is ideal for toning the upper body, while the breast stroke works those hard-to-tone inner thighs.
- Pilates has been hailed as the best overall exercise for toning your body and freeing your mind.
- They're not heavy enough to strengthen and tone your muscles, and they won't do much to boost the intensity of your cardio workouts, either.
- Kata training is great for defense, raising your level of fitness, toning your body muscles and releasing those dangerously high levels of stress.
- Walking, cycling and swimming, especially breaststroke, also work your bottom muscles and tone up your thighs.
- It depends on the individual, on how confident they feel and how toned their body is.
- A great glute and thigh strengthener, this exercise tones the abs and lower back muscles in a highly original way.
- They find that the hip movements are beneficial - they strengthen and tone the body.
- Jeff tones up his clients' muscles with some regular gentle weight-lifting.
- It stretches and tones up just about every muscle in the body.
- It strengthens and tones your muscles, raises your body's metabolism and knocks up to six inches off your waist, hips and stomach measurement in a single session
- Here's how to tone your body in all the right places.
- When you feel how much this strengthens and tones your lower body, especially your glutes and thighs, you'll be in an even better mood.
- It tones up the muscles of the face and improves facial expressions.
- Bitter herbs also tone the smooth muscles in your gastrointestinal tract.
- This will stretch and tone the arm muscles, while loosening the back and shoulder muscles.
- 1.1tone upno object (of a muscle or other bodily part) became stronger or firmer.
his leg muscles had toned up Example sentencesExamples - I also added a light weight-training routine to tone up and build strength for labor.
- After losing 100 pounds and toning up, I couldn't wait to wear a tank top that showed off my sculpted arms and skirts that flattered my slimmer legs!
- If you do these classes you will get fit and tone up - as well as increasing your flexibility.
- What I want to do is lose some weight and tone up - I just wish I could get some more help.
- Even after just a few sessions, you will see your muscles tone up, fatty places firm up and even a few pounds fall away.
- I began to tone up and had a little muscle definition in areas I never had before.
- Getting fit and toning up doesn't mean being confined to a sweaty gym or paying homage to stretch latex in an aerobics studio.
- And if you haven't been diligent with your workouts, you can still get trouble areas toned up in time to enjoy the warm weather.
- Prior to joining the center, she lost 40 pounds through a diet, but after joining the club, she lost another 25 pounds and is eating healthier and toning up.
- He had a lot to say about muscle, tissue and toning up.
- Just eat your three squares and spend a bit more time in the gym toning up.
- The main difference I have noticed is my shape and how much I've toned up.
- The real focus this week has been Pilates, and toning up.
- He will tone up a little bit more and he will look more built, although he is still a big guy at the moment.
- But Alex warns that weight isn't always a reliable indication of how effect your fitness regime is; you could be toning up and turning muscle to fat, but it won't necessarily show on the scales.
- Tony's attitude is toned down, while his body is toned up.
- Your goal should not be to bulk up like a body builder, just to tone up and become leaner and stronger.
- I don't necessarily advocate such a diet for my training clients who are looking to tone up and drop some fat.
- She began weight training three or four times a week to tone up.
- ‘I know all my customers personally and assure them I will get them toned up,’ he said.
2tone withno object Harmonize with (something) in terms of colour. the rich orange colour of the wood tones beautifully with the yellow roses Example sentencesExamples - The colors were perfectly toned with his skin and hair and eye color.
- Keep the floor simple by sanding and add blocks of colour in rugs in pastels that tone with billowing curtains on poles in chintz and damask.
- Some men had shirts made to measure to tone with the suit.
Synonyms go with, coordinate with, complement, harmonize with, blend with, tone with, team with, be the same as, be similar to, suit 3Photography
Give (a monochrome picture) an altered colour in finishing by means of a chemical solution. it's a good idea to sepia tone the whole print first Example sentencesExamples - Unlike selenium, which selectively tones the low values first, gold toners tend to affect the entire image at once.
- The print is then toned in sulphide or selenium and often hand coloured with oil paints to create the final result.
- Sepia toning originally was developed to extend the archival life of early black-and-white silver-based prints.
- Below is the same test strip reduced in iodine reducer and toned in three different toners.
- With the toner used at full strength, the print should be fully toned in about six to eight minutes.
Phrasal Verbs 1Make something less harsh in sound or colour. a green-tinged moisturizer helps to tone down a ruddy complexion Example sentencesExamples - Would it really have detracted if the big keyboard synth sounds had been toned down to a minimum?
- Instead of her usual style where bright, fluorescent colours stand out, this time the colour palette is toned down and the concentration is on darker shades.
- The synths had been toned down, replaced with tired guitar sounds.
- Susan picked this colour for the walls, and toned it down with white to produce the shade she wanted, and the result is admirable.
- When you've been sunbathing and your skin has a slight lobster tinge, don't wear a light colour that night - dark colours will tone down the burnt effect.
- I would suggest toning the colours down a bit, so it's not quite so harsh on the eyes
- The second way is to spot meter the scene calculating the dark area that you want to expose for and also the highlight area that you want to tone down.
- Coat lipstick with a darker lip gloss to tone it down.
- We have gone away from the bright colour scheme and toned it down slightly.
Synonyms subdue, make less garish, soften, lighten, dim, mute - 1.1Make something less extreme or intense.
I just hope we can now begin to tone down the rhetoric Example sentencesExamples - When every other punk band was playing as fast as they could and spewing left-wing rhetoric, these guys were toning it down a notch, providing a more emotive and reflective tone and a poppier sound.
- Even though they said they wanted to shock and offend, when it came right down to it, the network toned the content down.
- Brendan heard himself being melodramatic and toned it down a couple of notches.
- To move to the next level, however, the chain needed to tone down its image a bit.
- I think that they could pull the country together a lot better by just toning the rhetoric down a bit.
- When she realized how flirtatious that sounded, Jessica toned it down a bit.
- Critics last night claimed the report had been toned down because of concerns that its most ‘extreme’ findings would ruffle too many feathers within the establishment.
- Next time, boys, it may be possible to tone it down just a notch without losing any of the entertainment value.
- My mother asked if it was possible for me to tone the show down a bit for her.
- We had some very bruising sessions, so bruising that Clive had to step in and ask the players to tone it down.
Synonyms moderate, modify, modulate, mitigate, temper, dampen, soften, lighten
Origin Middle English: from Old French ton, from Latin tonus, from Greek tonos 'tension, tone', from teinein 'to stretch'. Rhymes alone, atone, Beaune, bemoan, blown, bone, Capone, clone, Cohn, Cologne, condone, cone, co-own, crone, drone, enthrone, flown, foreknown, foreshown, groan, grown, half-tone, home-grown, hone, Joan, known, leone, loan, lone, mephedrone, moan, Mon, mown, ochone, outflown, outgrown, own, phone, pone, prone, Rhône, roan, rone, sewn, shown, Simone, Sloane, Soane, sone, sown, stone, strown, throne, thrown, trombone, Tyrone, unbeknown, undersown, windblown, zone Definition of tone in US English: tonenountōntoʊn 1A musical or vocal sound with reference to its pitch, quality, and strength. the piano tone appears monochrome or lacking in warmth Example sentencesExamples - She is blessed with the cool, crystalline tone so characteristic of Scandinavian singers.
- He continued to ponder this as he moved across the room to where several of his men were standing speaking in hushed, worried tones.
- Oistrakh's warm tone ensures that the concerto's melodic content is not compromised, in spite of his gutsy playing.
- On 'The Bird and Phoenix', he achieves an impressionistic, plaintive tone on flute.
- The playing throughout is crisp, featuring beautiful, full, round tones and distinct single note lines.
- Gruppman's bracing attack and Kosower's warmly resonant tone enlivened the Allegro finale.
- Yes, his name is uttered amongst the musical cognoscenti in hushed tones.
- The attractive part of the vocal delivery is the tone, the snotty sneer with which nearly every line is delivered.
- By the time the entrées arrived, I found myself taking tiny bites and talking in hushed tones about the quality of the parsnips in my soup.
- She also sings rather well, with a husky, sensual tone hinting at a passion lurking under all those crinolines.
- He opened his mouth and began to say something, but stopped short, and stared at Naomi for a second before continuing in a hushed tone.
- Violinist Adela Pena played with a penetrating tone and trenchant musicality.
- The Octet's members placed a high priority on a full singing tone, honeyed legato playing, and warm, genial musicianship.
- There was no speaking in hushed tones at this compact dining room full of chatty, laughing customers.
- But they soon learned the distinctive sound of each engine and found the familiar tones of the passing traffic a comfort rather than a disturbance.
- Imagine my surprise when they spontaneously sang with me again, but this time in hushed and reverent tones.
- It employs a single reed and has a very pure tone with no vibrato although this can be induced by use of the bellows.
- Kevin and Faith were not far from him speaking in hushed tones.
- The darkly resonant tones of the lower strings in the opening Largo were a prelude to the precise, crisp attack of the violins in the succeeding Allegro molto.
- She started to laugh, the musical tones reverberating through the halls before quieting.
Synonyms timbre, sound, sound quality, voice, voice quality, colour, tone colour, tonality, resonance, ring - 1.1 A modulation of the voice expressing a particular feeling or mood.
Example sentencesExamples - I can normally tell, just from her tone of voice down the telephone line, how she's feeling.
- Despite the dismissive tone of voice, a serious expression crossed her face.
- Ah well, you'll just have to imagine what my dulcet tones sound like.
- I could see some of the excitement drain out of her expression and her tone of voice changed.
- First she tried sweet-talking him, using a sugary-sweet tone of voice to put him in a good mood and then happily suggesting that he let her out for some exercise.
- Only Trent noticed the mocking tone in Matt's voice and he hated him for it.
- I can see their expression and hear their tone of voice now, clear as anything.
- Try changing your tone of voice to break the pattern.
- Her voice held a tone of finality that signaled the end of the discussion.
- Without the facial expressions and tone of voice that play so great a part in human communication, comments may become at best ambiguous, at worst offensive.
- I couldn't hear the sarcastic tone in her voice and I felt jealousy rising in me.
- She was excited, but couldn't manage a happy tone of voice to express it.
- Keeping track of your tone of voice, volume and inflection is also a good idea.
- His voice had struck a conversational tone that grated on her nerves.
- The tone of voice in the transcripts is revealing.
- For a moment during this litany, her tone of voice takes on a sharp, exasperated edge.
- ‘That was how our grandfathers and father lived - those are our rules,’ says one man in a firm tone of voice.
- ‘I'm turning into a bit of a dragon,’ she says, in a tone of voice that could hardly be less dragon-like.
- I didn't know what that meant exactly, but her tone signaled the end of the discussion.
- But I'm sure my tone of voice and facial expression got my point across.
Synonyms intonation, tone of voice, mode of expression, expression, inflection, pitch, modulation, accentuation - 1.2 A musical note, warble, or other sound used as a particular signal on a telephone or answering machine.
Example sentencesExamples - The telephone beside Andrew rang, and he answered after a single tone.
- She quickly dialled Izzy's Scottish number but was answered by a busy tone.
- It took at least three tones before someone answered.
- His mobile telephone rang with a tone indicating he was in Spain but was switched off without a word being said.
- I make sure the volume on my beep tone is always turned up as high as it will go.
- The harsh tone of the telephone disrupts my slumber.
Synonyms note, beep, bleep, meep, whine, buzz, warble, burr, signal
2The general character or attitude of a place, piece of writing, situation, etc. my friend and I lowered the tone with our oafish ways there was a general tone of ill-concealed glee in the reporting Example sentencesExamples - The past two years have been overshadowed by real-world events that have given the awards a somber tone.
- Instructors set the emotional tone of the class.
- I'm also a little stunned by the tone of the piece.
- And yet there is no disputing that the event, its militant tone and its choice of target will provoke terrible memories and associations.
- The lack of a clear atmosphere or tone turns what could have been passionate into just passable.
- Also not susceptible to compromise was the decision to restrict beer consumption to two beer gardens, in keeping with the family tone of the event.
- He uses everything at his disposal to maintain a moody, atmospheric tone.
- The Inquiry we are conducting is inquisitorial and not adversarial in tone, content or character.
- I would agree wholeheartedly with the general tone of the article.
- The general tone of the last three days continues, albeit slightly calmer.
- His wit and poise set the tone for the afternoon event, which was seasoned with songs from Randall's performing friends.
- The general tone of this album is quite serious, heavily laden with food-for-thought political rants.
- Despite the modern setting, the films are Victorian in tone and atmosphere.
- They also wanted to have the conference at a place of higher learning in order to set a tranquil and academic tone for the event.
- This was a discouraging event that set the tone for the long week that lay ahead.
- She'd written most of the lyrics, and it was surprising that he'd caught on about the general tone of the piece.
- Excessively muted in tone and atmosphere, they seem remote now, as if filtered through gauze.
- However, I take exception to the general tone of his letter.
- Though he makes some brief excursions into consciously literary forms, the overall tone of his writing is terse, colloquial, practical, laconic.
- I hate those twenty-four hour periods when a single event sets the tone for the whole rotation.
- That has been the general tone of media reporting of the affair.
- The general tone of the piece is cynical, morbid and unpleasantly other-worldly.
- I am most happy with the fact that the general tone of your newspaper is moderate and very optimistic.
- Nevertheless, despite the low-key tone to events 40 Christmas trees have been shipped out to lend a more festive feel to proceedings.
- The general tone of the piece was quite positive.
- A couple of moments might make you jump but overall it's a promise the film just can't keep as tension quickly fades into a tone of general monotony.
- Throughout all of this, the emphasis is on atmosphere and tone.
- Nonetheless, I found the general tone of the film to be inspirational rather than offensive.
- The events of this year have set the tone for a less giddy new year's celebration and perhaps one more for reflection.
- Computers crash, characters bicker, and the general tone of the series is somewhat grim, with occasional bursts of humor.
- The show seemed oddly just a little light in tone, at least relative to the general tone of the series.
- Interesting images are available through this gateway, and although the content varies from provider to provider, the general tone is one of intelligent, critical inquiry.
- The city's atmosphere sets just the right tone: warm, spontaneous and charged with sultry glamour.
Synonyms mood, quality, feel, style, note, air, attitude, character, spirit, flavour, grain, temper, humour, effect - 2.1informal An atmosphere of respectability or class.
they don't feel he gives the place tone
3A basic interval in classical Western music, equal to two semitones and separating, for example, the first and second notes of an ordinary scale (such as C and D, or E and F sharp); a major second or whole step. Example sentencesExamples - At the climax of the third chant, she so subdivides her forces that eventually, all twelve tones of the chromatic scale are encompassed.
- For example, a rising whole tone interval is mirrored by a falling whole tone interval.
- He uses this music to introduce octaves, accented rhythms, a whole tone scale and a continuous cross-hand pattern.
- Ideally, I try to warm-up to a tone or two above the performance's highest note.
- The Hellenistic mind of the Byzantines allowed musicians to draw systems of tones from the music of ancient Greece.
4The particular quality of brightness, deepness, or hue of a tint or shade of a color. stained glass in vivid tones of red and blue an attractive color that is even in tone and texture Example sentencesExamples - Alternate different tones of green to prevent them from becoming completely camouflaged.
- Extraordinarily subtle gradations of hue and tone at the perimeters heighten the ethereal appearance of the whole.
- Their neutral tone will balance the bright hues of the coolest polo shirts of the season, and offset your trendy jeans.
- The neck is longer and more elegant, the underglaze blue cobalt lighter and purer in tone, and the porcelain itself whiter and with fewer occlusions.
- John finds that artist pencils allow him to better express his artistic creativity than the brush because of the aspect of detail and layers of tone and texture which can be obtained.
- We often take color for granted, not bothering to notice the subtle hues, tones and intensities that surround us.
- His visible brushstrokes in the foreground and creamy subdued tones interspersed with bright oranges and red hues are very seductive.
- Her trademark knitwear combines earthy tones with vivid colourful trims.
- The palette also includes colours inspired by skin tones: blush, flesh, coffee, caramel, nut and cinnamon.
- A student of the subject at A-Level, he favours a mixture of painting and printing techniques, and his pictures suggest a preference for modern art as well as earthy colours and tones.
- I enjoy the search for new shades of established colours, and I look forward to merging them with my base tones and creating a different vision of how I perceive things to be.
- Light pink gets lost next to the yellow and dark pink is too close in tone to the red.
- Other than delicate pink flesh tones, heavenly shades of blue predominate, accented with green and white.
- Building on continental lessons, he developed a technique of using thin washes of colour in muted tones to create an impression of transparency.
- The paintings seem at first to be sombre in tone, coloured mostly by umbers and sepia-like hues.
- No matter what the bright colours, whether orange, sweet pink tones, neutral colours or just black and white, they will all be widely seen.
- After the war his painting lost much of its intensity, with pastel tones replacing the bold, sometimes harsh colours he had earlier used.
- The temperature is just right, there's a clear scent in the air, and the colours and tones of the falling leaves is absolutely beautiful to me.
- The drawing is notable for its wonderful use of soft pencil, which permits fine gradations of tone and texture.
- The walls, adjustable lighting and curtains are all in warm colour tones to ease anxiety.
Synonyms tint, shade, colour, hue, tinge, cast, tincture harmonize, go, go well, blend, fit, coordinate, team, accord - 4.1 The general effect of color or of light and shade in a picture.
Example sentencesExamples - Murray's handling of paint, tone and colour is flawless.
- In its details and rich nuances of tone and texture, the drawing is an impressive demonstration of Rembrandt's genius.
- Light's bleaching glare may saturate the picture plane, obscuring tone, details and minute particulars.
- Here Turner had moved away from recording topography and was preoccupied with achieving specific effects of light and tone.
- I'm sure the genius that was Joseph Mallord William Turner, landscaping master of light, tone and shade would fully endorse some of the previous groundbreaking entries.
- His use of shade, tone and colour is different from many of his stylised drawings of the past, where the simplicity of line seemed to dominate over the human subject.
- Picasso is not interested in describing tone, depth, or form.
- This work is stark and reductive in colour and tone.
- 4.2 A slight degree of difference in the intensity of a color.
5Phonetics
(in some languages, such as Chinese) a particular pitch pattern on a syllable used to make semantic distinctions. Example sentencesExamples - Hmong is monosyllabic and tonal, meaning that it consists mainly of one-syllable words and that the tone of a word affects meaning.
- Ethnic Liberian languages usually contain two or three distinct tones, based on pitch, which indicate semantic or grammatical differences.
- Its lingua franca is Cantonese, a dialect that has six tones compared to the four tones of standard mandarin Chinese.
- Chinese pronunciation involves four tones, each indicated by a tone mark.
- Every syllable has an associated tone or pitch - high, low, medium, falling, rising, or whatever.
- 5.1 (in some languages, such as English) intonation on a word or phrase used to add functional meaning.
Example sentencesExamples - In English, these tones suggest finality, the fall frequently occurring at the end of a statement, the rise at the end of a yes-no question.
6The normal level of firmness or slight contraction in a resting muscle. Example sentencesExamples - They improve muscle tone, circulation and physiological efficiency and build up strength, stamina and flexibility.
- Walker is intent on maintaining muscle tone in his lower body.
- These children should be followed closely from birth and their development and muscle tone should be evaluated on a periodic basis.
- These children tend to be underweight and emaciated, with decreased muscle tone.
- The Apgar score was based on heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and skin color.
- His muscle tone is normal for gestational age and response to stimulation is good.
- I agree with him that upper airway muscle tone is decreased during sleep and is an important component of obstructive sleep apnea.
- This program consisted of ambulation with portable oxygen and arm exercises to maintain muscle tone.
- Norepinephrine and serotonin are involved in the loss of muscle tone during REM sleep.
- Staying active will help to maintain muscle tone and function.
- Physical boosts in endurance, muscle tone, body composition and blood flow can all improve sexual functioning.
- Many signs are noticeable at birth, such as low muscle tone, small nose, short fingers, and flexible joints.
- Other infants may develop low muscle tone, seizures, heart failure and coma, often following an illness.
- His muscle tone was mildly low but within the reference range.
- The electroencephalogram, eye movements, and muscle tone are monitored.
- Tetanus causes increased muscle tone and spasms especially in the neck and jaw muscles.
- With that low activity level, they are likely to lose muscle tone throughout their body.
- Babies with achondroplasia have poor muscle tone, often leading to delays in learning to sit, stand and walk.
- Drinking water also helps maintain proper muscle tone, which aids muscle contraction.
- Physical exercise also is encouraged to assist in weight reduction and increase muscle tone.
- 6.1Physiology The normal level of activity in a nerve fiber.
Example sentencesExamples - Apparently, the increase in ectopic beats might be related to the increase in vagal tone.
- Sinus node dysfunction can occur perioperatively because of increased vagal tone caused by anesthesia or surgical intervention.
- Abnormal exams included clearly severe abnormalities in motor tone, levels of activity, or delays.
- An increase of vagal tone after exercise occasionally can lead to episodes of atrial fibrillation.
- Sinus bradycardia is common in normal individuals during sleep and in those with high vagal tone, such as athletes and young healthy adults.
verbtōntoʊn [with object]1Give greater strength or firmness to (the body or a part of it) exercise tones up the muscles Example sentencesExamples - It is also great for toning your upper body, arms and leg muscles.
- It seemed like every muscle in her body was perfectly toned and tanned, and she looked amazing.
- It tones up the muscles of the face and improves facial expressions.
- It depends on the individual, on how confident they feel and how toned their body is.
- It stretches and tones up just about every muscle in the body.
- It tones the entire body while strengthening the cardiovascular system.
- Walking, cycling and swimming, especially breaststroke, also work your bottom muscles and tone up your thighs.
- Kata training is great for defense, raising your level of fitness, toning your body muscles and releasing those dangerously high levels of stress.
- Bitter herbs also tone the smooth muscles in your gastrointestinal tract.
- It strengthens and tones your muscles, raises your body's metabolism and knocks up to six inches off your waist, hips and stomach measurement in a single session
- They're not heavy enough to strengthen and tone your muscles, and they won't do much to boost the intensity of your cardio workouts, either.
- When you feel how much this strengthens and tones your lower body, especially your glutes and thighs, you'll be in an even better mood.
- This will stretch and tone the arm muscles, while loosening the back and shoulder muscles.
- The backstroke is ideal for toning the upper body, while the breast stroke works those hard-to-tone inner thighs.
- They find that the hip movements are beneficial - they strengthen and tone the body.
- Pilates has been hailed as the best overall exercise for toning your body and freeing your mind.
- The goal is to strengthen and tone muscles while improving balance, coordination, core strength and body awareness.
- Jeff tones up his clients' muscles with some regular gentle weight-lifting.
- Here's how to tone your body in all the right places.
- A great glute and thigh strengthener, this exercise tones the abs and lower back muscles in a highly original way.
- 1.1tone upno object (of a muscle or other bodily part) became stronger or firmer.
Example sentencesExamples - Tony's attitude is toned down, while his body is toned up.
- After losing 100 pounds and toning up, I couldn't wait to wear a tank top that showed off my sculpted arms and skirts that flattered my slimmer legs!
- The real focus this week has been Pilates, and toning up.
- I also added a light weight-training routine to tone up and build strength for labor.
- What I want to do is lose some weight and tone up - I just wish I could get some more help.
- And if you haven't been diligent with your workouts, you can still get trouble areas toned up in time to enjoy the warm weather.
- Your goal should not be to bulk up like a body builder, just to tone up and become leaner and stronger.
- Just eat your three squares and spend a bit more time in the gym toning up.
- He had a lot to say about muscle, tissue and toning up.
- Getting fit and toning up doesn't mean being confined to a sweaty gym or paying homage to stretch latex in an aerobics studio.
- But Alex warns that weight isn't always a reliable indication of how effect your fitness regime is; you could be toning up and turning muscle to fat, but it won't necessarily show on the scales.
- I began to tone up and had a little muscle definition in areas I never had before.
- If you do these classes you will get fit and tone up - as well as increasing your flexibility.
- ‘I know all my customers personally and assure them I will get them toned up,’ he said.
- Prior to joining the center, she lost 40 pounds through a diet, but after joining the club, she lost another 25 pounds and is eating healthier and toning up.
- The main difference I have noticed is my shape and how much I've toned up.
- She began weight training three or four times a week to tone up.
- Even after just a few sessions, you will see your muscles tone up, fatty places firm up and even a few pounds fall away.
- He will tone up a little bit more and he will look more built, although he is still a big guy at the moment.
- I don't necessarily advocate such a diet for my training clients who are looking to tone up and drop some fat.
2tone withno object Harmonize with (something) in terms of color. the rich orange color of the wood tones beautifully with the yellow roses Example sentencesExamples - Keep the floor simple by sanding and add blocks of colour in rugs in pastels that tone with billowing curtains on poles in chintz and damask.
- Some men had shirts made to measure to tone with the suit.
- The colors were perfectly toned with his skin and hair and eye color.
Synonyms go with, coordinate with, complement, harmonize with, blend with, tone with, team with, be the same as, be similar to, suit 3Photography
Give (a monochrome picture) an altered color in finishing by means of a chemical solution. Example sentencesExamples - Below is the same test strip reduced in iodine reducer and toned in three different toners.
- Sepia toning originally was developed to extend the archival life of early black-and-white silver-based prints.
- Unlike selenium, which selectively tones the low values first, gold toners tend to affect the entire image at once.
- With the toner used at full strength, the print should be fully toned in about six to eight minutes.
- The print is then toned in sulphide or selenium and often hand coloured with oil paints to create the final result.
Phrasal Verbs 1Make something less harsh in sound or color. Example sentencesExamples - The synths had been toned down, replaced with tired guitar sounds.
- Susan picked this colour for the walls, and toned it down with white to produce the shade she wanted, and the result is admirable.
- We have gone away from the bright colour scheme and toned it down slightly.
- Coat lipstick with a darker lip gloss to tone it down.
- Would it really have detracted if the big keyboard synth sounds had been toned down to a minimum?
- When you've been sunbathing and your skin has a slight lobster tinge, don't wear a light colour that night - dark colours will tone down the burnt effect.
- Instead of her usual style where bright, fluorescent colours stand out, this time the colour palette is toned down and the concentration is on darker shades.
- I would suggest toning the colours down a bit, so it's not quite so harsh on the eyes
- The second way is to spot meter the scene calculating the dark area that you want to expose for and also the highlight area that you want to tone down.
Synonyms subdue, make less garish, soften, lighten, dim, mute - 1.1Make something less extreme or intense.
I just hope we can now begin to tone down the rhetoric Example sentencesExamples - Next time, boys, it may be possible to tone it down just a notch without losing any of the entertainment value.
- We had some very bruising sessions, so bruising that Clive had to step in and ask the players to tone it down.
- I think that they could pull the country together a lot better by just toning the rhetoric down a bit.
- Even though they said they wanted to shock and offend, when it came right down to it, the network toned the content down.
- Brendan heard himself being melodramatic and toned it down a couple of notches.
- When she realized how flirtatious that sounded, Jessica toned it down a bit.
- When every other punk band was playing as fast as they could and spewing left-wing rhetoric, these guys were toning it down a notch, providing a more emotive and reflective tone and a poppier sound.
- My mother asked if it was possible for me to tone the show down a bit for her.
- Critics last night claimed the report had been toned down because of concerns that its most ‘extreme’ findings would ruffle too many feathers within the establishment.
- To move to the next level, however, the chain needed to tone down its image a bit.
Synonyms moderate, modify, modulate, mitigate, temper, dampen, soften, lighten
Origin Middle English: from Old French ton, from Latin tonus, from Greek tonos ‘tension, tone’, from teinein ‘to stretch’. |