tone English · revision 4898

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=c. 1325|origins=grc τόνος}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /təʊn/, US /toʊn/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|ton]], [[bor|fro|ton]] and directly from [[la|tonus|t=a sound, tone, accent]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) literally “a stretching”, in Medieval Latin a musical term,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) from [[grc|τόνος|tr=tónos|t=vocal pitch, accent; a stretching, taut string]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) related to teínein “to stretch”,^(Etymonline)^(NODE 1998) from [[ine-pro|*ten-|t=to stretch]].^(Etymonline) It is related to [[tune]], [[tonic]] and [[tend]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A musical sound or note: before 1300 in Barnhart, about 1325 in the OED (pitch, correct tune) and 1340 (a sound considered for its quality).^(Barnhart 1988)^(OED 1989) Etymonline dates it to the mid-14th century.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ By the early 15th century it was used of any sound.^(Etymonline) A manner of speaking, the inflection of the voice to express feeling, is from about 1600,^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) and a style of writing that shows an attitude by 1765.^(Etymonline) In physiology, the firmness of healthy tissues is from 1669 (the 1660s in Etymonline).^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) The prevailing character of a place or society is from 1735.^(Etymonline) Of colours in paintings it is by 1816, and in photography by 1893.^(Etymonline) An electrically produced sound, as on a telephone, is by 1878.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) The verb, to give a tone to, is from 1811,^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) and ''to tone down'', first in painting (1831), was generalized to “to moderate” by 1847.^(Etymonline) ''Tone-deaf'' is by 1880 or 1894.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1325 – pitch of a note.^(OED 1989)

+ * 1340 – a musical sound.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1600 – a manner of speaking.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1669 – firmness of tissue.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1735 – the character of a place or society.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1811 – verb, to give a tone to.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+ * 1831 – ''tone down'', in painting.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1878 – an electric tone.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A quality of the voice that shows a feeling or [[attitude]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The general character or mood of something.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[sound]] of a particular [[pitch]] and quality; a musical note.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''(music)'' An interval of two semitones; a whole step.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A shade of a [[colour]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # The firmness of healthy muscles.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # An electronic sound on a telephone.^(Collins 2023)^(Etymonline)

+ # ''(linguistics)'' A pitch that distinguishes words in a language such as Chinese.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make muscles firmer; with ''up''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # ''tone down'': to make something less strong or extreme.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To give a particular tone or colour to.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[toneless]]

+ * [[tonelessly]]

+ * [[tonelessness]]

+ * [[twelve-tone]]

+ * [[halftone]]

+ * [[duotone]]

+ * [[microtone]]

+ * [[middletone]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[atonal]]

+ * [[diatonic]]

+ * [[intonation]]

+ * [[intone]]

+ * [[monotone]]

+ * [[tonal]]

+ * [[tonality]]

+ * [[tone-deaf]]

+ * [[toneme]]

+ * [[tonic]]

+ * [[tonicity]]

+ * [[tune]]

+ * [[tend]]

+ * [[tense]]

+

+ ==Usage notes==

+ In northern dialect and Scots ''the tone'' means “the one”, as opposed to ''the tother'', a misdivision of Middle English “thet on”.^(MWU 2024)^(OED 1989)^(Wright 1898)

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}