Origin of tone
1275–1325; Middle English (noun) < Latin
tonus < Greek
tónos strain, tone, mode, literally, a stretching, akin to
teínein to stretch
OTHER WORDS FROM tone
Words nearby tone
tonalist,
tonality,
tonawanda,
tonbridge,
tondo,
tone,
tone arm,
tone cluster,
tone color,
tone colour,
tone control
British Dictionary definitions for tone down (1 of 3)
tone down
verb
(adverb)
to moderate or become moderated in tone
to tone down an argument; to tone down a bright colour
British Dictionary definitions for tone down (2 of 3)
Tone
/ (təʊn) /
noun
(Theobald) Wolfe. 1763–98, Irish nationalist, who founded (1791) the Society of United Irishmen and led (1798) French military forces to Ireland. He was captured and sentenced to death but committed suicide
British Dictionary definitions for tone down (3 of 3)
tone
/ (təʊn) /
noun
verb
Word Origin for tone
C14: from Latin
tonus, from Greek
tonos tension, tone, from
teinein to stretch
Medical definitions for tone down
tone
[ tōn ]
n.
The quality or character of sound.
The character of voice expressing an emotion.
The normal state of elastic tension or partial contraction in resting muscles.
Normal firmness of a tissue or an organ.
v.
To give tone or firmness to.
Idioms and Phrases with tone down
tone down
Make less vivid, harsh, or violent; moderate. For example, That's a little too much rouge; I'd tone it down a bit, or Do you think I should tone down this letter of complaint? This idiom uses tone in the sense of “adjust the tone or quality of something,” as does the antonym, tone up, meaning “brighten or strengthen.” For example, These curtains will tone up the whole room, or This exercise is said to tone up the triceps. [Mid-1800s]