Definition of tone - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
expressionmanner of speaking or writing
- His tone in the letter was formal.
2.
sound qualityquality of a sound, especially its pitch
- The violin has a warm, rich tone.
3.
emotionthe general atmosphere or mood
- The tone of the meeting was tense.
4.
artthe shade or quality of a color
- The tone of the painting was warm.
5.
musicTECH. specific pitch in musicTECH.
- The tone of the violin was perfect.
6.
medicalthe firmness of a muscle
- Regular exercise improves muscle tone.
7.
linguisticsTECH. the pitch that changes word meaningTECH.
- In Mandarin, tone affects meaning.
Verb
1.
exercisetr. give greater strength or firmness to musclestr.
- She tones her arms with weightlifting..
2.
speechintr. speak in a particular mannerintr.
- He toned his voice to sound more authoritative.
3.
arttr. change the color of somethingtr.
- The artist decided to tone the painting with a blue hue.
4.
fashionintr. UK match or complement in colorintr. UK
- The curtains tone well with the sofa.
5.
musictr. alter the quality of soundtr.
- The musician toned the instrument for a softer sound.
Expressions with tone
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make something less intense or harsh
They decided to tone down the bright colors.
lack of sensitivity to nuances in communication
His tone deafness led to misunderstandings in the meeting.
firm and strengthen muscles through exercise
She tones up by doing yoga daily.
at the moment the beep ends on a voicemail
Please leave your message after the tone.
example of values and behavior set by an organization's leaders
A strong tone at the top can reduce misconduct.
make something less intense or extreme
She decided to tone it down for the formal event.
reduce the quality or standard
The new policy might lower the tone of our services.
create the emotional quality to be expected for something
The manager set the tone for the meeting with a joke.
the color of a person's skin
She has a fair skin tone.
emotional undertone in speech
The tone of voice suggested he was upset.
having two colors or shades
She wore a two-tone dress to the party.
repeated note signaling the number is in use
The engaged tone played as I dialed the number.
ability to manage vocal pitch and quality
Her tone control during the performance was impressive.
sound indicating readiness to dial a number
She waited for the dialling tone before calling.
improve the mood or atmosphere
The music helped raise the tone of the party.
clear resonant sound
The bell produced a ringing tone that echoed through the hall.
quality of sound that makes it different from others
The tone color of a violin is different from a flute.
notation or symbol showing the tone of an online message
He used a tone indicator to show he was joking.
criticizing how someone speaks instead of what they say
Tone policing happened when she ignored his point and scolded his tone.
insensitive to social nuances or public sentiment
His tone-deaf comments upset many people.
having two different colors or sounds together
The dual-tone car had a black roof and red body.
establish the general character or mood of something
Her speech set the tone for the entire conference.
voice or sound that is very deep and gloomy
He spoke in a sepulchral tone during the ceremony.
brief sound marking the exact time
The clock emitted a pip tone at noon.
Origin of tone
Latin, tonus (sound)
Terms with tone included in their meaning
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throat tone
sound produced by vocal cords in speech or song
emotion expression
express relief, relaxation, comfort, confusion, understanding, wonder, or awe with voice tone
ambience
mood or tone of a place or situation
casual conversation
relaxed and friendly in tone or style
rich tone
rich and full vocal tone
paint shade
muted pink with a slight gray tone, like faded petals
complexion
light-colored skin tone
communication
complaint expressed in a low, surly tone
complaining sound
act of complaining in a low tone
paint shade
soft rosy violet tone
paint shade
purplish tone with a rose tint, blending red and violet
tone
the tone or quality of someone's speech
paint matching
pale, muted yellow tone resembling dried straw
noise level
produce a very loud, harsh tone, often like a horn
sharp speech
speak in a sharp, aggressive tone
remarks
hurtful or harsh in tone
speech
speak in a monotonous tone
music
lower the pitch of a note by half a tone
attitude
having a playful or sarcastic tone
music
degree of highness or lowness of a tone
paint shade
dark to medium gray, often with slight blue tone, like naval ships
criticism
harsh and incisive in tone or manner
paint shade
warm yellow-brown tone, like caramel
language style
style or tone in language use
Examples of tone in a sentence
I didn't like the tone of his email. The tone of the bell was clear and resonant. He adjusted the tone of the guitar strings. The tone of the book was melancholic. Her voice had a cheerful tone throughout the conversation. The artist chose a soft tone for the sky.
Different tone variations can change the mood of a room. He played a tone on the piano. The tone resonated throughout the hall. The doctor assessed the patient's muscle tone. Yoga can help maintain good muscle tone. A different tone can turn this Thai syllable into another word. She practised each tone carefully in Cantonese class. He tones his legs by running daily. They tone their abs with regular crunches. She toned her speech to be more persuasive. The teacher toned his lecture to engage the students. She decided to tone the walls with a soft pastel shade. The photographer used a filter to tone the image subtly. These cushions tone with the blue rug. The gold frame tones beautifully with the wallpaper. She toned the guitar to achieve a mellow sound. He toned the piano to match the singer's voice.
View all translations of tone
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:ton, tonifier, ...
- German:Ton, straffen, ...
- Italian:tono, tonificare, ...
- Spanish:tono, fortalecer, ...
- Portuguese:tom, fortalecer, ...
- Chinese:语气, 增强肌肉, ...
- Japanese:口調, 鍛える, ...
- Arabic:نبرة, قَوَّى, ...
- Hebrew:טוֹן, לְחַטֵּב, ...
- Russian:тон, укреплять, ...
- Ukrainian:тон, тренувати, ...
- Hindi:लहजा, कसना, ...
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