ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tone

n. · v.
US //ˈtoʊn// UK //tˈəʊn// tone
  1. 1 mood of speech or writing (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Literature

    the mood or feeling expressed by the way someone speaks or writes.

    the general character or attitude of a piece of writing or a speech, often conveyed through diction and register.

    Example

    The tone of his email was very professional, even though he was complaining.

    Example

    The author maintains a cynical tone throughout the novel, frequently mocking the pretensions of the upper-class characters.
  2. 2 sound quality (n.)
    B1 Intermediate Music

    the quality or character of a particular sound or voice.

    the distinctive timbre or quality of a musical sound or a person's speaking voice.

    Example

    The singer has a very warm, rich tone that is perfect for jazz.

    Example

    The violin's tone was remarkably bright, cutting through the orchestral texture even during the most complex passages.
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  1. 3 muscle firmness (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Medicine

    the firmness and strength of your muscles.

    the normal state of tension or responsiveness in a muscle; often used to describe a lean, fit appearance.

    Example

    Regular swimming is a great way to improve your muscle tone.

    Example

    The physical therapist noted a significant improvement in the patient's muscle tone after six weeks of resistance training.
    • flaccidity
  2. 4 shade of a colour (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a particular shade or variety of a colour.

    the lightness, darkness, or specific quality of a colour.

    Example

    The room was decorated in soft tones of blue and grey.

    Example

    The artist used earthy tones to ground the composition, contrasting them with a single splash of vibrant crimson.
  3. 5 linguistic pitch (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Linguistics

    the use of high or low pitch to change the meaning of a word.

    the use of pitch in language to distinguish lexical or grammatical meaning.

    Example

    In Mandarin Chinese, the same sound can have different meanings depending on the tone.

    Example

    The phonological analysis revealed that the dialect uses tone to distinguish between past and present tense markers.
  4. 6 to make firm (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to make your body or muscles firmer and stronger through exercise.

    to improve the firmness or physiological condition of the body or a specific muscle group.

    Example

    These exercises are designed to tone your stomach muscles.

    Example

    While cardio is excellent for heart health, you need weight training if you want to tone your arms effectively.
  5. 7 to adjust colour (v.)
    C1 Advanced Technical

    to change the colour or mood of something, like a photo.

    to give a particular skin, colour, or character to something; often used in photography or art.

    Example

    The photographer decided to tone the image with a sepia filter for a vintage look.

    Example

    The chemical process used to tone the prints resulted in a deep, metallic blue that enhanced the industrial themes of industrial decay.
Etymology 1

From Middle English ton, tone, from Latin tonus (“sound, tone”) (possibly through Old French ton), from Ancient Greek τόνος (tónos, “strain, tension, pitch”), from τείνω (teínō, “to stretch”). Doublet of tune, ton, tonos, and tonus.

Etymology 2

From Middle English tone, ton, toon, from the incorrect division of thet one (“the/that one”). Compare Scots tane in the tane; see also tother.

Word family

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