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tone

tone

166 4.1
The pitch of a syllable that changes a word's meaning in languages like Mandarin
  • noun
  • /toʊn/
: tono
  • For less mature performances, tone quality and intonation seem to be the predominant considerations.
  • pitch and tone
  • intonation and tone
  • Mandarin tones

It was more just like tones, tones flowing up and down the hallway.

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Examples

  • For example, musical performances are commonly judged by traits such as tone quality, pitch, and expressiveness.

    Academic text (2011)
  • I never heard that tone from him.

  • Please leave a message after the tone.

  • Did you hear that tone?

  • "Spin it faster and you raise the tone; slow it down and you lower it."

    Fiction book (1993)
  • The music really sets the tone, don't you think?

  • The Orff approach encourages an appreciation for many kinds of tone relationships to foster self-expression.

    Academic text (2015)
  • Musicians often focus on tone when evaluating a performance, as it greatly affects the overall sound.

  • The singer adjusted her tone to match the emotional depth of the song.

  • In painting, the tone of a color can significantly alter the mood of the artwork.

Synonyms

note
vstone
284 3.7

A tone in someone's voice or writing

is more literal, focusing on actual pitch and sound character rather than mood
tone of voice
vstone
40 3.1

The way someone speaks that shows their feelings or mood

is more general, applying to sonic pitch and character beyond speech emotion
tenor
vstone
19 5.8

The main meaning of something said, written or done

is primarily about sound pitch and character rather than general sense
quality
vstone
  • Specialized
17 6.0

The particular sound a voice or instrument makes

is more general, also referring to pitch or overall character
timbre
vstone
  • Specialized
8 8.2

The special tone that makes voices or instruments sound different

is wider, including pitch and general sound character beyond uniqueness
timber
vstone
  • Archaic
3 7.8

The special sound of a voice or instrument that makes it different

is more general, also naming pitch and overall sound character
tonality
vstone
2 6.8

The mood of sounds, especially a voice or music

is narrower in mood focus and also includes simple pitch and quality
color
vstone
  • Specialized
2 7.2

The quality of a musical sound that makes instruments or voices different

is broader, covering pitch plus the general character of a sound
coloration
vstone
  • Specialized
1 6.7

The tone of a sound that makes instruments or voices sound different

is broader, also covering pitch as well as overall sound character

Idioms

Not able or willing to notice how other people feel

Compounds

40 3.1

The way someone speaks that shows their feelings or mood

tone-deaf
  • Offensive
15 7.7

Not aware of other people's feelings or reactions

muscle tone
  • Specialized
9 3.4

A little tightness in resting muscles that keeps them ready to move

5 7.0

Unable to hear or sing the right notes in music

Not noticing or understanding other people's feelings in what they say

tone poem
  • Specialized
1 8.0

A piece for orchestra that tells a story or paints a scene

quarter tone
  • Specialized
1 8.7

A musical interval half the size of a semitone used in some modern and non-Western music

pure tone
  • Specialized
1 5.8

A steady sound with one clear pitch, like a tuning fork

A way of speaking that sounds happy and friendly

Unable to hear differences between musical notes

1 5.1

A calm even way of speaking that does not show strong feeling

tone police
  • Offensive
1 7.9

People who criticize how someone speaks instead of what they say

quarter-tone
  • Specialized
1 9.3

A small musical interval half a semitone used in some music

A way of speaking or writing that sounds too sweet and not real

12-tone music
  • Specialized
1 9.1

A way of writing music that uses all twelve notes in a fixed order

1 4.2

A normal relaxed way of speaking that sounds honest

head tone
  • Specialized
1 8.0

A high singing voice that feels like it rings in the head

passing tone
  • Specialized
1 7.8

A note played between two main notes to make the tune move smoothly

twelve-tone music
  • Specialized
1 8.6

A way of writing music that uses the twelve notes in a set order

whole tone
  • Specialized
1 6.6

An interval of two semitones used in many musical scales

tone system
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A way a language uses high or low voice to change word meaning

leading tone
  • Specialized
1 8.4

The seventh note of a scale that is one half step below the main note and pulls toward it

tone arm
  • Specialized
1 7.1

A light balanced arm on a record player that holds the needle and moves across a record

twelve-tone system
  • Specialized
1 9.9

A way of writing music that uses all twelve notes in one order

A way of speaking that is too friendly and seems not sincere

chest tone
  • Specialized
1 7.5

A low, rich voice sound that people feel in the chest

A soft, gentle voice that makes people feel calm

12-tone system
  • Specialized
9.3

A way of writing music that uses all twelve notes in a fixed order

partial tone
  • Specialized
7.7

A higher sound made when the main note vibrates a whole number of times

tarnal tone
  • Archaic
9.9

A harsh way of speaking that annoys people who hear it

tone language
  • Specialized
8.1

A language where changes in voice pitch make words mean different things

tone-beginning
  • Specialized
8.6

How a musical note begins, showing if it sounds clear or strong

How High

high pitch
38 3.4
tone
166 4.1
low-toned
4 3.9

Surface Forms

tone singular
tones plural

Etymology

The word tone comes from the Greek tonos, which meant 'stretch' or 'tension'. So a musical or language tone is like the pitch of a tight string, because its tension changes the sound.