Origin of tone

1275–1325; Middle English (noun) < Latin tonus < Greek tónos strain, tone, mode, literally, a stretching, akin to teínein to stretch

SYNONYMS FOR tone

1 See sound1.
15 spirit, quality, temper.

OTHER WORDS FROM tone

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

See also tone down, tone up

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]