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(tn), 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.] 1. 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. [Harmony divine] smooths her charming tones. Milton. Tones that with seraph hymns might blend. Keble. 2. (Rhet.) Accent, or inflection or modulation of the voice, as adapted to express emotion or passion. Eager his tone, and ardent were his eyes. Dryden. 3. 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. 4. (Mus.) (a) A sound considered as to pitch; as, the seven tones of the octave; she has go Tone (), v. t.[imp. & p. p.Toned (); p. pr. & vb. n.Toning.] 1. To utter with an affected tone. 2. To give tone, or a particular tone, to; to tune. See Tune, v. t. 3. (Photog.) To bring, as a print, to a certain required shade of color, as by chemical treatment. To tone down. (a) To cause to give lower tone or sound; to give a lower tone to. (b) (Paint.) To modify, as color, by making it less brilliant or less crude; to modify, as a composition of color, by making it more harmonius. Its thousand hues toned down harmoniusly. C. Kingsley. (c) Fig.: To moderate or relax; to diminish or weaken the striking characteristics of; to soften. 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. Palfrey. To tone up, to cause to give a higher tone or sound; to give a higher tone to; to make more intense; to heighten; to strengthen. Tone n. 1. (Physiol.) 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. 2. 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. Sir G. Parker. 3. (Plant Physiol.) The condition of normal balance of a healthy plant in its relations to light, heat, and moisture. スポンサード リンク
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