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Glite Dictionary
tarnal tone

tarnal tone

9.9
A harsh way of speaking that annoys people who hear it
  • noun
  • Archaic
translation icon : tono irritante
  • His tarnal tone grated on everyone's nerves during the meeting.

Examples

  • The tarnal tone in his complaint was impossible to ignore.

  • She couldn't stand his tarnal tone whenever they argued.

  • I can't stand her tarnal tone when she speaks.

  • His tarnal tone made the meeting unbearable.

  • The constant tarnal tone in his voice made it hard to take him seriously.

  • Whenever she spoke with that tarnal tone, everyone felt uncomfortable.

  • His tarnal tone during the discussion left a lasting impression of negativity.

Synonyms

tartness
vstarnal tone
5.6

A sharp, cutting way of speaking that sounds rude

is more about a generally irritating or grating manner of speaking

Antonyms

cheerful tone
1 2.6

A way of speaking that sounds happy and friendly

How Harsh

shrillness
1 5.6
grating
1 6.2
tarnal tone
  • Archaic
9.9
harsh
47 3.9

Surface Forms

tarnal tone singular
tarnal tones plural

Morphology

tarnal + tone

The noun phrase is compositionally built from 'tarnal' (an expletive-like adjective signalling irritation) + 'tone' (voice quality), so the meaning 'an irritating or harsh tone' follows directly from the constituents. Although 'tarnal' is dialectal/colloquial, if a B1 learner knows that adjective, the overall MWE is predictable and therefore transparent.

Etymology

The phrase tarnal tone may come from old country speech where tarnal was a rough word meaning 'damned' and tone meant 'voice'. So a tarnal tone gives the image of a sharp, angry voice, which is why it means 'an irritating or harsh tone'.