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| tone [ tōn ] |
noun (plural tones) |
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| Definition: |
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1. distinctive kind of sound: a sound with a distinctive quality
  The first bell has a clearer tone.
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2. way of speaking: the way somebody says something as an indicator of what that person is feeling or thinking
a defiant tone in her voice
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3. general quality: the general quality or character of something as an indicator of the attitude or view of the person who produced it
the optimistic tone of the report
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4. machine sound: a sound, especially one produced by a machine
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5. prevailing character: the characteristic style that something has, particularly in relation to elegance or standing
Neon signs lower the tone of the place.
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6. shade of color: a shade of a color
a green with a more vibrant tone
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7. arts combination of color and shading: the overall blend of color and light and shade in a painting or photograph
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8. physiology firmness of muscles: the natural firmness of muscles, or of the body generally, when not being flexed
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9. phonetics intonation: the way a syllable of a word is spoken in terms of pitch
the rising tone signifying a question
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10. music timbre: the quality of a sound that makes it distinctive, e.g. in a voice or musical instrument
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11. music plainsong: a melody used in singing plainsong, e.g. in psalms
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12. music
Same as note (sense 7)
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verb (past and past participle toned, present participle ton·ing, 3rd person present singular tones) |
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| Definition: |
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1. intransitive verb blend in with something: to be similar to something else, especially in color or brightness, and fit well with it
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2. transitive and intransitive verb photog change color of photograph: in photography, to develop a monochrome silver negative into a color image by means of a chemical solution, or be developed in this way
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3. transitive verb phonetics say something with particular pitch: to say a syllable or word with a particular pitch
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4. physiology strengthen muscles: to make muscles firmer and stronger
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| [13th century. Via French ton< Greek tonos "tension, tone"] |
