tone
tone Lexical Profile
tone Game Scores & Validity
• noun
The general character, attitude, or mood of a place, piece of writing, situation, or spoken utterance.
"The author's sarcastic tone was evident from the very first paragraph of the essay."
A musical or vocal sound considered with reference to its pitch, quality, and strength.
"Please leave your message after the tone."
The normal, baseline level of firmness or slight continuous contraction in a resting muscle.
"Regular resistance exercise helps improve your overall muscle tone."
• verb
To give greater strength, firmness, or elasticity to (especially a muscle or the body).
"She practices Pilates twice a week to tone her core muscles."
To harmonize or blend closely with something, especially in terms of color.
"The warm wooden furniture tones beautifully with the soft beige walls."
To give a particular tint or color to (especially a photograph).
"The photographer decided to tone the black-and-white prints with a sepia wash."
• Rhymes for tone
Word Origin & Etymology
From Old French 'ton', from Latin 'tonus' (sound, tone, accent), derived from Greek 'tonos' (vocal pitch, raising of voice, tension), from 'teinein' (to stretch).
Usage Trend
Historical frequency of usage in published text.