See Also: tone 1, noun(dictionary)
tone(encyclopedia)
Tone(medicine)
two-tone(dictionary)
tone(1)(dictionary)
tone(2)(dictionary)
tone-deaf(dictionary)
tone language(dictionary)
dialling tone(dictionary)
Tone River(encyclopedia)

tone 1, noun (oh)



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1 ?voice?
2 ?sound?
3 ?general feeling/attitude?
4 ?colour?
5 ?electronic sound?
6 raise/lower the tone (of something)
7 ?body?
8 ?music?
9 ?voice level?
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[Date: 1200-1300; Language: Latin; Origin: tonus 'tension, tone', from Greek tonos]
?VOICE?
[C] the way your voice sounds, which shows how you are feeling or what you mean
in a ... tone
::'You must be Annie,' he said in a friendly tone.
in sb's tone
::There was urgency in his tone.
::Her tone was sharp with anger.
::It was obvious from her tone of voice that she didn't like me.
don't take that tone with me
(=do not speak to me in that rude or unpleasant way)
?SOUND?
[U and C] the quality of a sound, especially the sound of a musical instrument or someone's voice
-see also pitch pitch, timbre timbre
::the guitar's clean tone
in ... tones
::They talked in hushed tones.
::'No I didn't,' he said in a low tone (=quietly) .
deep-toned/even-toned/shrill-toned etc
(=having a low, calm etc tone)
::an even-toned voice
?GENERAL FEELING/ATTITUDE?
[singular, U] the general feeling or attitude expressed in a piece of writing, a speech, an activity etc
tone of
::The tone of the report was radical.
::The meetings were noted for their deeply religious tone.
in tone
::The article was moderate in tone.
set the tone (for/of sth)
(=establish the general attitude or feeling of an event, activity etc)
::Opening remarks are important since they set the tone for the rest of the interview.
?COLOUR?
[U and C] one of the many types of a particular colour, each slightly darker, lighter, brighter etc than the next
-synonym shade shade tone of
::different tones of green
::Perhaps a darker tone would be better.
::your skin tone (=the colour of your skin)
in tone
::The dried colour is slightly deeper in tone than it appears when first applied.
-see also two-tone
?ELECTRONIC SOUND?
[C] a sound made by electronic equipment, such as a telephone
::Please leave a message after the tone.
dial tone AmE /dialling tone BrE (=the sound you hear when you pick up the telephone that lets you know that you can make a call)
busy tone AmE /engaged tone BrE (=the sound you hear when you telephone someone but they are already talking to someone else)
raise/lower the tone (of sth)
to make a place or event more or less socially acceptable, attractive etc
::That horrible building lowers the whole tone of the neighborhood.
::Trust you to lower the tone of the conversation (=by making rude remarks etc) .
?BODY?
[U] technical how firm and strong your muscles or skin are
::A regular brisk walk will improve muscle tone .
?MUSIC?
[C] technical the difference in pitch between two musical notes that are separated by one key on the piano
American Equivalent: step
?VOICE LEVEL?
[C] technical how high or low your voice is when you produce different sounds
::There is a falling tone on the first syllable and a rising tone on the other.