Tone

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Tone, n. [F. ton, L. tonus a sound, tone, fr. Gr. to`nos a stretching, straining, raising of the voice, pitch, accent, measure or meter, in pl., modes or keys differing in pitch; akin to tei`nein to stretch or strain. See Thin, and cf. Monotonous, Thunder, Ton fashion, Tune.].

•  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.  [1913 Webster]

  "[Harmony divine] smooths her charming tones."  [1913 Webster]

  "Tones that with seraph hymns might blend."  [1913 Webster]
•  Accent, or inflection or modulation of the voice, as adapted to express emotion or passion.  [1913 Webster]

  "Eager his tone, and ardent were his eyes."  [1913 Webster]
•  A whining style of speaking; a kind of mournful or artificial strain of voice; an affected speaking with a measured rhythm ahd a regular rise and fall of the voice; as, children often read with a tone.  [1913 Webster]
•  A sound considered as to pitch; as, the seven tones of the octave; she has good high tones.  [1913 Webster]

  " The use of the word tone, both for a sound and for the interval between two sounds or tones, is confusing, but is common -- almost universal."  [1913 Webster]

  " Nearly every musical sound is composite, consisting of several simultaneous tones having different rates of vibration according to fixed laws, which depend upon the nature of the vibrating body and the mode of excitation. The components (of a composite sound) are called partial tones; that one having the lowest rate of vibration is the fundamental tone, and the other partial tones are called harmonics, or overtones. The vibration ratios of the partial tones composing any sound are expressed by all, or by a part, of the numbers in the series 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, etc.; and the quality of any sound (the tone color) is due in part to the presence or absence of overtones as represented in this series, and in part to the greater or less intensity of those present as compared with the fundamental tone and with one another. Resultant tones, combination tones, summation tones, difference tones, Tartini's tones (terms only in part synonymous) are produced by the simultaneous sounding of two or more primary (simple or composite) tones."  [1913 Webster]
•  That state of a body, or of any of its organs or parts, in which the animal functions are healthy and performed with due vigor.  [1913 Webster]

  " In this sense, the word is metaphorically applied to character or faculties, intellectual and moral; as, his mind has lost its tone."  [1913 Webster]
•  Tonicity; as, arterial tone.  [1913 Webster]
•  State of mind; temper; mood.  [1913 Webster]

  "The strange situation I am in and the melancholy state of public affairs, . . . drag the mind down . . . from a philosophical tone or temper, to the drudgery of private and public business."  [1913 Webster]

  "Their tone was dissatisfied, almost menacing."  [1913 Webster]
•  Tenor; character; spirit; drift; as, the tone of his remarks was commendatory.  [1913 Webster]
•  General or prevailing character or style, as of morals, manners, or sentiment, in reference to a scale of high and low; as, a low tone of morals; a tone of elevated sentiment; a courtly tone of manners.  [1913 Webster]
•  The general effect of a picture produced by the combination of light and shade, together with color in the case of a painting; -- commonly used in a favorable sense; as, this picture has tone.  [1913 Webster]
•  Quality, with respect to attendant feeling; the more or less variable complex of emotion accompanying and characterizing a sensation or a conceptual state; as, feeling tone; color tone.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  Color quality proper; -- called also hue. Also, a gradation of color, either a hue, or a tint or shade.

  "She was dressed in a soft cloth of a gray tone."  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]
•  The condition of normal balance of a healthy plant in its relations to light, heat, and moisture.  [Webster 1913 Suppl.]

Tone color. (Mus.) see the Note under def. 4, above. -- Tone syllable, an accented syllable. M. Stuart.

Tone, v. t. 

•  To utter with an affected tone.  [1913 Webster]
•  To give tone, or a particular tone, to; to tune. See Tune, v. t.  [1913 Webster]
•  To bring, as a print, to a certain required shade of color, as by chemical treatment.  [1913 Webster]

  "Its thousand hues toned down harmoniusly."  [1913 Webster]

  "The best method for the purpose in hand was to employ some one of a character and position suited to get possession of their confidence, and then use it to tone down their religious strictures."  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Tone, n. & v.
--n.
1 a musical or vocal sound, esp. with reference to its pitch, quality, and strength.
2 (often in pl.) modulation of the voice expressing a particular feeling or mood (a cheerful tone; suspicious tones).
3 a manner of expression in writing.
4 Mus. a a musical sound, esp. of a definite pitch and character. b an interval of a major second, e.g. C-D.
5 a the general effect of colour or of light and shade in a picture. b the tint or shade of a colour.
6 a the prevailing character of the morals and sentiments etc. in a group. b an attitude or sentiment expressed esp. in a letter etc.
7 the proper firmness of bodily organs.
8 a state of good or specified health or quality.
9 Phonet. a an accent on one syllable of a word. b a way of pronouncing a word to distinguish it from others of a similar sound (Mandarin Chinese has four tones).
--v.
1 tr. give the desired tone to.
2 tr. modify the tone of.
3 intr. (often foll. by to) attune.
4 intr. (foll. by with) be in harmony (esp. of colour) (does not tone with the wallpaper).
5 tr. Photog. give (a monochrome picture) an altered colour in finishing by means of a chemical solution.
6 intr. undergo a change in colour by toning.

Idiom

tone-arm the movable arm supporting the pick-up of a record-player. tone control a switch for varying the proportion of high and low frequencies in reproduced sound. tone-deaf unable to perceive differences of musical pitch accurately. tone-deafness the condition of being tone-deaf. tone down
1 make or become softer in tone of sound or colour.
2 make (a statement etc.) less harsh or emphatic. tone poem = symphonic poem. tone-row = SERIES 8. tone up 1 make or become stronger in tone of sound or colour.
2 make (a statement etc.) more emphatic. whole-tone scale see WHOLE.

Derivative

toneless adj. tonelessly adv. toner n.

Etymology

ME f. OF ton or L tonus f. Gk tonos tension, tone f. teino stretch

THESAURUS

Tone

French pitch, Munsell chroma, Zeitgeist, accent, accidental, achromatism, action, actions, activity, acts, adaptability, address, affect, affectation, air, algorithm, anagnorisis, angle, apply paint, approach, architectonics, architecture, argument, arrangement, aspect, atmosphere, attack, attitude, audio frequency, aura, background, balance, bearing, bedaub, bedizen, beef, beefiness, begild, behavior, behavior pattern, behavioral norm, behavioral science, bend, besmear, bias, blend, body-build, bounce, bounciness, brand, brawn, brawniness, breve, brighten up, brightness, brush on paint, brushwork, buoyance, buoyancy, calcimine, carriage, cast, catastrophe, character, characteristic, characteristics, characterization, chroma, chromatic color, chromaticity, chromatism, chromism, classical pitch, climate, coat, color, color balance, color harmony, color quality, color scheme, coloration, colorimetric quality, coloring, complexion, complication, comportment, composition, conduct, consecutive intervals, constituents, constitution, continuity, contrivance, cool color, course, cover, crasis, crotchet, cue, culture pattern, current, custom, dab, dampen, daub, decorator color, deep-dye, degree, demeanor, demisemiquaver, denouement, deportment, depth, design, development, device, dharma, diapason, diatessaron, diathesis, diatonic interval, diatonic semitone, dip, direction, dispose, disposition, distemper, doing, doings, dominant, dominant note, double whole note, double-dye, draftsmanship, drift, dulcetness, dull, dye, eighth note, elasticity, emblazon, emphasis, enamel, engild, enharmonic, enharmonic diesis, enharmonic interval, enharmonic note, episode, ethos, extensibility, fable, face, falling action, fashion, fast-dye, feel, feeling, fiber, fifth, flat, flexibility, folkway, force, form, fourth, frame, frame of mind, frequency, fresco, freshen up, fullness, fundamental, fundamental tone, genius, gestures, gild, gimmick, give, glacial movement, glaze, gloss, goings-on, grain, grouping, guise, habit, half note, half step, halftone, harmonic, heart, heftiness, height, hemidemisemiquaver, high pitch, hue, humor, humors, huskiness, ilk, illuminate, imbue, incident, incline, induce, inflection, influence, ingrain, interval, intonation, intonation pattern, involuntary muscle, japan, key, kind, lacquer, lay on color, lead, less semitone, lightness, limber up, line, line of action, lines, liveliness, local color, low pitch, main current, mainstream, maintien, makeup, manner, manner of speaking, manner of working, manners, means, mellifluence, mellifluousness, melodic interval, melodiousness, melody, method, methodology, methods, mien, milieu, mind, minim, mode, mode of expression, mode of operation, mode of procedure, moderate, modify, modulate, modulation, modus operandi, modus vivendi, mold, monotone, monotony, mood, morale, motif, motion, motions, move, movement, movements, moves, muscle, muscularity, musculature, musical note, musical quality, musical sound, musicality, mute, mythos, natural, natural color, nature, neutral color, new philharmonic pitch, note, observable behavior, octave, order, overtone, paint, painterliness, pallor, parallel octaves, parget, partial, partial tone, patent note, pattern, peripeteia, perspective, persuade, philharmonic pitch, philosophical pitch, phrasing, physique, pigment, pitch, pitch accent, plan, plot, poise, port, pose, posture, practice, praxis, predispose, presence, prime, procedure, proceeding, process, prompt, property, purity, quality, quarter note, quaver, quieten, rebound, recognition, reduce, register, reinvigorate, report, resilience, resiliency, resonance, responding note, responsiveness, revitalize, richness, rising action, routine, run, saturation, scheme, second, secondary plot, semibreve, semiquaver, semitone, sense, set, seventh, shade, shading, shadow, shape, shaped note, sharp, shellac, sinew, sinewiness, sinews, sixteenth note, sixth, sixty-fourth note, skin color, slant, slop on paint, smear, snap, social science, soft-pedal, soften, soften up, somatotype, sonority, sonorousness, sort, sound, speech tune, spiccato, spirit, spirits, spring, springiness, staccato, stain, stamp, standard pitch, state of mind, step, stipple, story, streak, stream, stress, stretch, stretchability, stretchiness, stripe, structure, style, subdue, subject, subplot, suchness, suprasegmental, sustained note, sway, sweetness, swing, switch, system, tack, tactics, technique, temper, temperament, tendency, tenor, tercet, the drill, the general tendency, the how, the main course, the way of, thematic development, theme, thew, thewiness, thews, third, thirty-second note, timbre, time spirit, tinct, tincture, tinge, tint, tonality, tone color, tone down, tone of voice, tone quality, tone up, tonelessness, tonicity, tonus, topic, treatment, trend, triplet, tune, tune up, tunefulness, turn, twist, type, undercoat, undercolor, undertone, unison interval, value, values, varnish, vein, voce, voice, voice qualifier, voice quality, voluntary muscle, warm color, wash, way, way of life, way of saying, ways, wear down, weigh with, whitewash, whole note, whole step, wise, work

ROGET THESAURUS

Tone

Method

N method, way, manner, wise, gait, form, mode, fashion, tone, guise, modus operandi, MO, procedure, path, road, route, course, line of way, line of road, trajectory, orbit, track, beat, tack, steps, stair, staircase, flight of stairs, ladder, stile, perron, bridge, footbridge, viaduct, pontoon, steppingstone, plank, gangway, drawbridge, pass, ford, ferry, tunnel, pipe, door, gateway, channel, passage, avenue, means of access, approach, adit, artery, lane, loan, alley, aisle, lobby, corridor, back-door, back-stairs, secret passage, covert way, vennel, roadway, pathway, stairway, express, thoroughfare, highway, turnpike, freeway, royal road, coach road, broad highway, King's highway, Queen's highway, beaten track, beaten path, horse road, bridle road, bridle track, bridle path, walk, trottoir, footpath, pavement, flags, sidewalk, crossroad, byroad, bypath, byway, cut, short cut carrefour, private road, occupation road, highways and byways, railroad, railway, tram road, tramway, towpath, causeway, canal, street, speedway, adv, how, in what way, in what manner, by what mode, so, in this way, after this fashion, one way or another, anyhow, somehow or other, by way of, via, in transitu, on the high road to, hae tibi erunt artes.

State

N state, condition, category, estate, lot, ease, trim, mood, pickle, plight, temper, aspect, dilemma, pass, predicament, constitution, habitude, diathesis, frame, fabric, stamp, set, fit, mold, mould, mode, modality, schesis, form, tone, tenor, turn, trim, guise, fashion, light, complexion, style, character, conditional, modal, formal, structural, organic, conditionally, as the matter stands, as things are, such being the case.

Strength

N strength, power, energy, vigor, force, main force, physical force, brute force, spring, elasticity, tone, tension, tonicity, stoutness, lustihood, stamina, nerve, muscle, sinew, thews and sinews, physique, pith, pithiness, virtility, vitality, athletics, athleticism, gymnastics, feats of strength, adamant, steel, iron, oak, heart of oak, iron grip, grit, bone, athlete, gymnast, acrobat, superman, Atlas, Hercules, Antaeus, Samson, Cyclops, Goliath, tower of strength, giant refreshed, strengthening, invigoration, refreshment, refocillation, dynamics, statics, strong, mighty, vigorous, forcible, hard, adamantine, stout, robust, sturdy, hardy, powerful, potent, puissant, valid, resistless, irresistible, invincible, proof against, impregnable, unconquerable, indomitable, dominating, inextinguishable, unquenchable, incontestable, more than a match for, overpowering, overwhelming, all powerful, all sufficient, sovereign, able-bodied, athletic, Herculean, Cyclopean, Atlantean, muscular, brawny, wiry, well-knit, broad-shouldered, sinewy, strapping, stalwart, gigantic, manly, man-like, manful, masculine, male, virile, unweakened, unallayed, unwithered, unshaken, unworn, unexhausted, in full force, in full swing, in the plenitude of power, stubborn, thick-ribbed, made of iron, deep-rooted, strong as a lion, strong as a horse, strong as an ox, strong as brandy, sound as a roach, in fine feather, in high feather, built like a brick shithouse, like a giant refreshed, strongly, by force, by main force, our withers are unwrung, Blut und Eisen, coelitus mihi vires, du fort au diable, en habiles gens, ex vi termini, flecti non frangi, he that wrestles with us strengthens our nerves an, inflexible in faith invincible in arms.

Affections

N affections, affect, character, qualities, disposition, nature, spirit, tone, temper, temperament, diathesis, idiosyncrasy, cast of mind, cast of soul, habit of mind, habit of soul, frame of mind, frame of soul, predilection, turn, natural turn of mind, bent, bias, predisposition, proneness, proclivity, propensity, propenseness, propension, propendency, vein, humor, mood, grain, mettle, sympathy, soul, heart, breast, bosom, inner man, heart's core, heart's strings, heart's blood, heart of hearts, bottom of one's heart, penetralia mentis, secret and inmost recesses of the heart, cockles of one's heart, inmost heart, inmost soul, backbone, passion, pervading spirit, ruling passion, master passion, furore, fullness of the heart, heyday of the blood, flesh and blood, flow of soul, energy, fervor, fire, force, affected, characterized, formed, molded, cast, attempered, tempered, framed, predisposed, prone, inclined, having a bias, tinctured with, imbued with, penetrated with, eaten up with, inborn, inbred, ingrained, deep-rooted, ineffaceable, inveterate, pathoscopic, congenital, dyed in the wool, implanted by nature, inherent, in the grain, affective, in one's heart, at heart, heart and soul, affection is a coal that must be cool'd else suffe.

Tendency

N tendency, aptness, aptitude, proneness, proclivity, bent, turn, tone, bias, set, leaning to, predisposition, inclination, propensity, susceptibility, conatus, nisus, liability, quality, nature, temperament, idiocrasy, idiosyncrasy, cast, vein, grain, humor, mood, drift, conduciveness, conducement, applicability, subservience, tending, conducive, working towards, in a fair way to, calculated to, liable, subservient, useful, subsidiary, for, whither.

Sound

N sound, noise, strain, accent, twang, intonation, tone, cadence, sonorousness, audibility, resonance, voice, aspirate, ideophone, rough breathing, acoustics, phonics, phonetics, phonology, phonography, diacoustics, diaphonics, phonetism, sounding, soniferous, sonorous, sonorific, resonant, audible, distinct, stertorous, phonetic, phonic, phonocamptic, a thousand trills and quivering sounds, forensis strepitus.

Concord

N concord, accord, harmony, symphony, homologue, agreement, sympathy, empathy, response, union, unison, unity, bonds of harmony, peace, unanimity, league, happy family, rapprochement, reunion, amity, alliance, entente cordiale, good understanding, conciliation, peacemaker, intercessor, mediator, concordant, congenial, agreeing, in accord, harmonious, united, cemented, banded together, allied, friendly, fraternal, conciliatory, at one with, of one mind, at peace, in still water, tranquil, with one voice, in concert with, hand in hand, on one's side, commune periculum concordiam parit, melody concord, melody, rhythm, measure, rhyme, pitch, timbre, intonation, tone, scale, gamut, diapason, diatonic chromatic scale, enharmonic scale, key, clef, chords, modulation, temperament, syncope, syncopation, preparation, suspension, resolution, staff, stave, line, space, brace, bar, rest, appoggiato, appoggiatura, acciaccatura, note, musical note, notes of a scale, sharp, flat, natural, high note, low note, interval, semitone, second, third, fourth, diatessaron, breve, semibreve, minim, crotchet, quaver, semiquaver, demisemiquaver, hemidemisemiquaver, sustained note, drone, burden, tonic, key note, leading note, fundamental note, supertonic, mediant, dominant, submediant, subdominant, octave, tetrachord, major key, minor key, major scale, minor scale, major mode, minor mode, passage, phrase, concord, harmony, emmeleia, unison, unisonance, chime, homophony, euphony, euphonism, tonality, consonance, consent, part, harmony, harmonics, thorough-bass, fundamental-bass, counterpoint, faburden, piece of music, composer, harmonist, contrapuntist (musician), harmonious, harmonical, in concord, in tune, in concert, unisonant, concentual, symphonizing, isotonic, homophonous, assonant, ariose, consonant, measured, rhythmical, diatonic, chromatic, enharmonic, melodious, musical, melic, tuneful, tunable, sweet, dulcet, canorous, mellow, mellifluous, soft, clear, clear as a bell, silvery, euphonious, euphonic, euphonical, symphonious, enchanting fine-toned, full-toned, silver-toned, harmoniously, in harmony, as one, the hidden soul of harmony.

Color

N color, hue, tint, tinge, dye, complexion, shade, tincture, cast, livery, coloration, glow, flush, tone, key, pure color, positive color, primary color, primitive complementary color, three primaries, spectrum, chromatic dispersion, broken color, secondary color, tertiary color, local color, coloring, keeping, tone, value, aerial perspective, chromatics, spectrum analysis, spectroscopy, chromatism, chromatography, chromatology, prism, spectroscope, spectrograph, spectrometer, colorimeter (optical instruments), pigment, coloring matter, paint, dye, wash, distemper, stain, medium, mordant, oil paint, colored, colorific, tingent, tinctorial, chromatic, prismatic, full-colored, high-colored, deep-colored, doubly-dyed, polychromatic, chromatogenous, tingible, bright, vivid, intense, deep, fresh, unfaded, rich, gorgeous, gay, gaudy, florid, gay, garish, rainbow-colored, multihued, showy, flaunting, flashy, raw, crude, glaring, flaring, discordant, inharmonious, mellow, pastel, harmonious, pearly, sweet, delicate, tender, refined, color, hue, tint, tinge, dye, complexion, shade, tincture, cast, livery, coloration, glow, flush, tone, key, pure color, positive color, primary color, primitive complementary color, three primaries, spectrum, chromatic dispersion, broken color, secondary color, tertiary color, local color, coloring, keeping, tone, value, aerial perspective, chromatics, spectrum analysis, spectroscopy, chromatism, chromatography, chromatology, prism, spectroscope, spectrograph, spectrometer, colorimeter (optical instruments), pigment, coloring matter, paint, dye, wash, distemper, stain, medium, mordant, oil paint, colored, colorific, tingent, tinctorial, chromatic, prismatic, full-colored, high-colored, deep-colored, doubly-dyed, polychromatic, chromatogenous, tingible, bright, vivid, intense, deep, fresh, unfaded, rich, gorgeous, gay, gaudy, florid, gay, garish, rainbow-colored, multihued, showy, flaunting, flashy, raw, crude, glaring, flaring, discordant, inharmonious, mellow, pastel, harmonious, pearly, sweet, delicate, tender, refined.

Blackness

N blackness darkness, (want of light), swartliness, lividity, dark color, tone, color, chiaroscuro, nigrification, infuscation, jet, ink, ebony, coal pitch, soot, charcoal, sloe, smut, raven, crow, negro, blackamoor, man of color, nigger, darkie, Ethiop, black, buck, nigger, coon, sambo, lampblack, ivory black, blueblack, writing ink, printing ink, printer's ink, Indian ink, India ink, in mourning.