tone en · NOUN · etymology 1
Pronunciation
- [ˈtʰoːn] monophthongization
- [ˈtʰon] (Scotland)
- (California) audio
- [ˈtʰəʊ̯n] (Received-Pronunciation)
- [ˈtʰoːn] (Wales) without the toe–tow merger
- /ˈtəʊn/ (Received-Pronunciation)
- /ˈtoʊn/ (Canada, General-American)
- /ˈtɐʉn/ (New-Zealand)
- /ˈton/ (Scotland)
- [ˈtʰɐʉ̯n] (New-Zealand)
- /ˈtəʉ̯n/ (Australia)
- [ˈtʰəʉ̯n] (Australia)
- [ˈtʰoʊ̯n] ~ [ˈtʰəʊ̯n] (Canada, General-American)
- /ˈtoːn/ (Wales) without the toe–tow merger
Etymology
From Middle English ton, tone, from Latin tonus (“sound, tone”) (possibly through Old French ton), from Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos, “strain, tension, pitch”), from τείνω (teínō, “to stretch”). Doublet of tune, ton, tonos, and tonus.
Meanings
- A specific pitch.
- (in the diatonic scale) An interval of a major second.
- (in a Gregorian chant) A recitational melody.
- The character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice.
- The pitch of a word's sound that distinguishes a difference in meaning, as for example in Chinese.
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(dated) A whining style of speaking; a kind of mournful or artificial strain of voice; an affected speaking with a measured rhythm and a regular rise and fall of the voice.
Children often read with a tone.
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The manner in which speech or writing is expressed, especially the aspects of diction (word choice), connotation, emotiveness, and register.
Their tone was dissatisfied, almost menacing.
1850, William Cullen Bryant, Letters of a Traveller:
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(obsolete) State of mind; temper; mood.
c. 1714 (undated), Henry St John, 1st Viscount Bolingbroke, letter to Alexander Pope 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.
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The shade or quality of a colour.
We make crude visual distinctions and effectively meaningless categorizations based on average skin tones, such as black or white.
2017, Adam Rutherford, A Brief History of Everyone Who Ever Lived, The Experiment, →ISBN, page 81:
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(qualifier:painting) The favourable effect of a picture produced by the combination of light and shade, or of colours.
This picture has tone.
- The definition and firmness of a muscle or organ; see also: tonus.
- The state of a living body or of any of its organs or parts in which the functions are healthy and performed with due vigor.
- Normal tension or responsiveness to stimuli.
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(qualifier:African-American Vernacular, slang) a gun
But nigga don't step wrong, cuz 8ball keep a tone
1993, “9 Little Millimeta Boys”, in 8Ball (lyrics), Comin' Out Hard:Got the tone to ya head yo life flashing right front your eyes
2002, “Mouth Write a Check”, in Project Pat (lyrics), Layin' da Smack Down:M.A.C.T.D.O.G got the tone so hoe you know it's on
1994, “Murda In Da 1st Degree”, in Princess Loko (lyrics), Ashes 2 Ashes, Dust 2 Dust:
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(figuratively) The general character, atmosphere, mood, or vibe (of a situation, place, etc.).
Manuel expects that once 2 St. Clair West is done it will change the tone of the neighbourhood.
2016 December 30, Francine Kopun, “Sleepy Yonge and St. Clair gets a makeover”, in Toronto Star:Mr O'Brien confirmed the warning from the council was based on the fact that the structure the mural was painted on was not a temporary one and on the claim that it changes the tone of the street and impacts on the area.
2016 July 25, Megan McDermott, “'Repeal the 8th' mural in Project Arts Centre in Temple Bar removed”, in Irish Times:Her rousing speech gave an upbeat tone to the rest of the evening.
"What struck me most was not necessarily what was said but ... the tone of the room, ... the fear and anxiety that people have for their family members who are currently in the grip of addiction," Green said.
2022 December 2, “Many solutions, some small, needed to tackle addictions in the N.W.T.”, in CBC:
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(figuratively, qualifier:Chiefly in the form lower/raise the tone of something) The quality of being respectable or admirable.
"I am going to raise the tone of the business. That's wot I want you for. To raise the tone of the business."
1904, May Sinclair, The Divine Fire, H. Holt, page 340:That story is replicated wherever there is a brightly decorated house and a neighbour who cares about the tone of the street.
2017 December 11, Michael Hann, “C7 bulbs or C9s? How Christmas lights became a nerdy obsession”, in The Guardian:But for anyone hoping that what proved to be a brief two-way female Tory leadership race might have raised the tone of British politics—currently at an all-time low after the vicious backroom machinations of Brexit referendum—the news wasn't promising.
2016 July 11, Leah McLaren, “After Brexit, a political revolution in the U.K.—for women”, in Maclean's:But Mr Fagan said the tone of the street was brought down by the presence of people he termed "the Gatwickians" — residents of a rooming house called the Gatwick Private Hotel.
2015 July 9, Simon Leo Brown, “St Kilda's Fitzroy Street left to rot says hotel owner”, in ABC News:The teaching we have had of late has lowered the tone of Christianity, as the remarks by the two gentlemen who preceded me will attest; and, instead of producing stalwart manhood, it has generated a brood of mountebanks. Give us a pure Gospel or a vacant pulpit!
1911, Charles Augustus Jenkens, The Bride's Return, Or, How Grand Avenue Church Came to Christ, C.H. Robinson, page 67:
Forms
| Spelling | Features | Labels | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| tones | Number=Plur | lexicographic |
Deriveds
engaged tone · tone hole · jewel tone · tendency tone · truetone · video dial tone · mistone · mosstone · muscle tone · duotone · tritone · tone painting · tone dialing · quadtone · tone colour · touch-tone dialing · non-harmonic tone · subtone · tonewood · tone poem · ditone · tonelike · halftone · set the tone · quarter-tone · tri-tone · sidetone · tone mapping · tone police · tone indicator · serotonin · tonepad · multitone · passing tone · tonearm · falling tone · silvertone · tone-bearing unit · tone bar · ring tone · fuzztone · realtone · checked tone · tone color · tone tag · earth tone · level tone · semitone · contour tone · touch-tone dialling · fuzz tone · tone policing · whole-tone scale · skintone · tone-deafly · sesquitone · tone cluster · Tartini tone · midtone · ru tone · dialling tone · touchtone · allotone · retone · tone ring · leading tone · tone mark · tonification · tone sandhi · tone meeting · intertone · pentatone · goldtone · dial tone · eigentone · middletone · quarter tone · overtone · tonify · gammatone · paratone · toneless · neighbor tone · screentone · flexatone · undertone · Shepard tone · touch-tone · tone scale · tonewheel · dual tone multi-frequency · hemitonic · tone number · twelve-tone · tonology · equitone · microtone · skin tone · room tone · rising tone · departing tone · half-tone · basitony · escape tone · twelve-tone technique · downtone · combination tone · polytone · meantone · entering tone · tone dialling · neutral tone · betone · tonous · reorder tone · wolf tone · tonebar · oblique tone · tone of voice · tone arm · demitone · tone terracing · tonable · half tone · comfort tone · two-tone · floating tone
Relateds
intone · tonal · tune · diatonic · tonicity · toneme · ringtone · tone-deaf · tonality · atonal · tonic · monotone · intonation · tone-deafness
Synonyms
whole tone (an interval of a major second)
Translations (201)
sl ton (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · he טוֹן (interval of a major second) · ru тон (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · fi sävelkorko (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · uk то́нус (firmness of a muscle or organ) · fi äänensävy (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · sv nyans (shade or quality of a colour) · fi sävel (interval of a major second) · it tono (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · sv ton (shade or quality of a colour) · cs tonus (firmness of a muscle or organ) · cmn 聲調 /声调 (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ru тон (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · sh тон (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · fa تن (shade or quality of a colour) · lt tonas (shade or quality of a colour) · yue 聲調 /声调 (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · de Klang (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · lv intonācija (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · fi ääni (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · my အသံအနိမ့်အမြင့် (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · nl toon (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · yi טאָן (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ms nada (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · lv tonis (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · he טוֹן (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · ms tona (shade or quality of a colour) · ms ton (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ga ton (interval of a major second) · no tone (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · tr ton (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · nl toon (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · es tono (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · be тон (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ar نَغْمَة (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · lv tonis (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · eu tonu (interval of a major second) · pl brzmienie (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · pt tom (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · ga cuma (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · pt tom (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · da klang (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · pa سر (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ja トーン (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · pt tono (firmness of a muscle or organ) · cmn 四聲 /四声 (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · nv zhítsʼóóz (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · lt tonas (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · da tone (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · lv tonis (shade or quality of a colour) · mi hā (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · eo tono (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · lt tonas (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · mg tondrom-peo (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · fr ton (interval of a major second) · fa پرده (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · fi tooni (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ru то́нус (firmness of a muscle or organ) · mg hery (firmness of a muscle or organ) · ga ton (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · pl barwa (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · th น้ำเสียง (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · fr ton (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · nv náyaa (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · fi kokosävel (interval of a major second) · sv helton (interval of a major second) · vi âm sắc (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · mk тон (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · vi tiếng (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · nl timbre (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · ca to (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · cy tôn (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ca to (shade or quality of a colour) · pl ton (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · ru тон (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · vi giọng (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ru отте́нок (shade or quality of a colour) · nl toon (shade or quality of a colour) · ga ton (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · da tonefald (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ko 성조 (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · hak 聲調 /声调 (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · tr ton (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · da tone (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · cmn 聲 /声 (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · he צְלִיל (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · mg nôty (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · ca to (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · bg цяла нота (interval of a major second) · vi tiếng (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · es tono (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · gl ton (interval of a major second) · lo ວັນນະຍຸດ (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · pt tom (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · fi sointi (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · fa لحن (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · mi waihoe (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · lt tonas (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · nl toon (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · tl tono (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · de Ton (recitational melody) · nan-hbl 聲調 /声调 (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · mg feo (recitational melody) · bg оттенък (shade or quality of a colour) · pl ton (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · nl hele toon (interval of a major second) · ga glór (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · fur ton (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · ka ტონი (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · es tono (shade or quality of a colour) · grc τόνος (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · hy տոն (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · nl toon (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · bg интонация (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · tr ton (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · nv wódahí (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · de Ton (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · fi sävy (shade or quality of a colour) · sv ton (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · da farvetone (shade or quality of a colour) · da tone (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · lt tonas (interval of a major second) · bg тон (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · es tono (interval of a major second) · fi nuotti (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · vi thanh (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · fi jänteys (firmness of a muscle or organ) · cmn 全音 (interval of a major second) · lt tonas (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ru тон (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · lt tonusas (firmness of a muscle or organ) · yue 全音 (interval of a major second) · gl ton (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · pt tônus (firmness of a muscle or organ) · pl zabarwienie (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · sk tón (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · es tono (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · fi sointiväri (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · nl noot (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · cs tón (interval of a major second) · lv tonis (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · fi väri (shade or quality of a colour) · hi लहजा (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · vi giọng (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · lo ສຽງ (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · th วรรณยุกต์ (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · es tono (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · km សូរ (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · vi thanh điệu (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · fi sävy (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · he צְלִיל (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · lt atspalvis (shade or quality of a colour) · pt tom (shade or quality of a colour) · cs tón (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · hy գուներանգ (shade or quality of a colour) · ota سس (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · kl nipi (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · id nada (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · bg тон (shade or quality of a colour) · da tonus (firmness of a muscle or organ) · vi sắc (shade or quality of a colour) · ja トーン (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ca to (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · pl odcień (shade or quality of a colour) · fr ton (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ja 声調 (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · lv tonis (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · ga ton (shade or quality of a colour) · bg тонус (firmness of a muscle or organ) · sv ton (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · bg тоналност (favourable effect of a picture) · vi nốt (interval of a major second) · ru тон (shade or quality of a colour) · tl tono (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · sa तान (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · pt tom (interval of a major second) · ru тон (interval of a major second) · bg тон (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · de Ton (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · da tonefald (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · tr ton (shade or quality of a colour) · kl nipi (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · de Stimmung (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · mi waetahi (interval of a major second) · nv nádei (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · pt tom (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · hu tónus (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · ru интона́ция (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · ar نَغْم (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · cs tón (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · sv klang (character of a sound, especially the timbre of an instrument or voice) · pa ਸੁਰ (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · uk тон (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · yue 聲 /声 (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · de Farbton (shade or quality of a colour) · da nuance (shade or quality of a colour) · da spændingstilstand (firmness of a muscle or organ) · mg haabom-peo (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning) · he טוֹן (specific pitch, quality and duration; a note) · bg тон (manner in which speech or writing is expressed) · sh ton (pitch of a word that distinguishes a difference in meaning)