tone
noun
uk/təʊn/us/toʊn/tonenoun(VOICE EXPRESSION)
B2[U]
aqualityin thevoicethatexpressesthe speaker'sfeelingsorthoughts, often towards thepersonbeingspokento:
（常指对听话人的）语气，腔调，口吻Itriedto use asympathetictoneofvoice.我试着用一种同情的语气说话。
Don'tspeakto me in that toneofvoice(=angrily),younglady!小姐，别用那种语气跟我说话！
It wasn't so much what she said thatannoyedme - it was her tone.让我生气的不是她所说的话，而是她说话的语气。
tones[plural]literary
thequalityof someone'svoice:
语气；语调Sherecountedthestoryto meinshockedtones(= in ashockedvoice).她用震惊的语气向我叙述了这件事。
I couldhearthelowtones of myparentstalkingin the nextroom.我听到我父母在隔壁房间低声说话。
For more thanhalfacentury, thereassuringtones of BBCnewscastershaveinformedBritishtelevisionviewersaboutworldevents.半个多世纪以来，英国广播公司的播音员用沉稳的语调向英国电视观众报道世界大事。
[U]phoneticsspecialized
achangein how high orlowthevoiceis that canchangethemeaningof a word orsentence
声调- Shetendstoadoptafalselycheerfultone when she'supsetabout something.
- Hisgentleintroductorytonemodulatesinto afootballcoach's pre-gamepeptalk.
- It's thatpatronizingtone of hers that I can'tbear.
- "We're sopleasedtomeetyou at last, " he said in arespectfultone ofvoice.
- When hespokehis tone wasaccusatory.
Ways of speaking
- accented
- accentuation
- articulate
- bray
- cacoepy
- cut glass
- dialectal
- drawl
- elocution
- enunciate
- fluent
- jawbreaker
- plummy
- pragmatics
- pronunciation
- prosodic
- prosody
- signer
- sociolect
- toned
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Describing qualities of the human voice
tonenoun(GENERAL MOOD)
C2[S]
thegeneralmoodormainqualitiesof something:
风格；基调，格调；气氛I didn't like thejokeytone of thearticle- Ithoughtit wasinappropriate.我不喜欢这篇文章的搞笑风格——我觉得这不恰当。
Trust you tolowerthe tone of theeveningbytellingdisgustingjokes,Mark!马克，你讲粗俗的笑话肯定会把晚会的格调降下去！
Bothcandidatesneed toraisethe tone of thecampaign, as theelectorateistiredofnegativecampaigning.两位候选人都得提高活动格调，因为选民们已经受够了负面的竞选宣传。
He was in a verybadmoodwhen hearrived, and thatsetthe toneforthewholemeeting.他到的时候情绪很不好，这就决定了整个会议的气氛。
the character, feeling, or mood of a place or situation
- atmosphereThe atmosphere in the conference room was tense.
- ambienceIt looks like an upscale eatery, but it has a real sports-pub ambience to it.
- vibeThe restaurant has a casual vibe.
- climateDiscussion took place in a climate of deep hostility.
- toneHer snarky remark at the outset set the tone for the rest of the visit.
- feelThe tile work gives the shop a very Moroccan feel.
- Ifoundmyselfirritatedby theadulatorytone of herbiography.
- Daleloweredthe tone of theeveningbytellingadirtyjoke.
- The tone of themeetingwas verypessimistic.
- The tone of theletterwasplacatory.
- The tone of hispoetryisrestrainedand unemotional.
Moods
- -humoured
- be in one ofyourmoodsidiom
- black mood
- eat
- frame
- have a strop onidiom
- humour
- snit
- someone'sstate/frame of mindidiom
- spirit
- strop
- suck
- sulky
- temper
- temperament
- temperamentally
- temperature
- up and downidiom
- volatile
- yourself
tonenoun(COLOUR)
[C]
aformordegreeof acolour:
色调warmtones ofbrownandyellow棕色和黄色这种暖色调
Colour - general words
- bleed
- chalkiness
- chalky
- chromatic
- colour
- colour wheel
- colouration
- complementary
- dye
- palette
- pigmented
- primary colour
- recolour
- secondary colour
- shade
- spectroscope
- spectrum
- tie-dye
- tint
- tinted
tonenoun(TIGHTNESS)
[U]
thehealthytightnessof thebody,especiallythemuscles:
（尤指肌肉的）坚实，结实After you've had ababyyoulosethemuscletone inyourstomach.你生完孩子后，腹部的肌肉就失去了弹性。
Animal physiology: fit & healthy
- a clean bill of healthidiom
- acrobatic
- agility
- agree withsomething
- amazonian
- apple
- athletic
- brawn
- healthful
- muscled
- nail
- non-disabled
- outdoorsy
- regularity
- ripped
- stalwart
- strapping
- strength
- the able-bodied
- trim
tonenoun(DIFFERENCE IN SOUND)
[C]mainlyUK(USusuallywhole step)
thelargestdifferenceinpitchbetween twonotesthat are next to each other in thewesternmusicalscale:
全音（指西洋音阶中相邻两音符之间最大的音差）Theintervalfrom G to A is awholetone.从 G 到 A 的音程是一个全音。
Compare
semitone
Technical music terms
- accidental
- aleatory
- antiphonal
- arpeggio
- arr.
- discord
- dissonance
- harmonic
- harmony
- key signature
- longa
- mike check
- slur
- staccato
- step
- stepwise
- syncopate
- syncopated
- syncopation
- trill
tonenoun(MUSICAL QUALITY)
[CorU]
thequalityofsoundof amusicalinstrumentorsingingvoice:
音色；音质thebeautifulrichtones of histenorvoice他那美妙浑厚的男高音
Technical music terms
- accidental
- aleatory
- antiphonal
- arpeggio
- arr.
- discord
- dissonance
- harmonic
- harmony
- key signature
- longa
- mike check
- slur
- staccato
- step
- stepwise
- syncopate
- syncopated
- syncopation
- trill
You can also find related words, phrases, and synonyms in the topics:
Describing qualities of sound
tonenoun(PHONE NOISE)
B2[C]
one of thecontinuoussoundsthat youhearon aphonethattellyou if the otherphoneisringing, if it isbusy, etc.:
电话音I've called him severaltimesbut Ikeepgetting theengagedtone.我已经给他打了几次电话，但每次听到的都是忙音。
Pleasewaituntil youhearthediallingtone(= thesoundthat aphonemakes when it isreadyto be used).请等到您听到拨号音。
Communications - by telephone
- 3G
- 4G
- 5G
- aeroplane mode
- airplane mode
- area code
- autodial
- dialling tone
- Directory Enquiries
- helpline
- phone mast
- pick
- picksomeone/somethingup
- pocket dial
- prank caller
- ring
- roam
- telecoms
- telephone
- transfer
tone
verb[T]
uk/təʊn/us/toʊn/(alsotone up)If you tone apartof thebody, you make itfirmerandstronger, usually by doingphysicalexercise:
（通常通过锻炼）使（身体部位）更强健This is a goodexercisefor toning up thethighs.这种锻炼对增强大腿肌肉有好处。
Exercising & training
- aerial yoga
- aerobic
- Anti-Gravity yoga
- aquacise
- aquarobics
- cross-trainer
- interval training
- jog
- jog trot
- jumping jack
- Kegel exercise
- kettlebell
- resistance training
- Spinning
- stability ball
- star jump
- sweat
- Swiss ball
- tai chi
- taper
Phrasal verbs
tonesomethingdown
tone in