undertone

名词 n. 动词 v.
中文释义

英文释义

名词 n.
  1. An auditory tone of low pitch or volume. countable,uncountable
    — Did he and his master converse? Watt had never heard them do so, as he surely would have done, if they had done so. In an undertone perhaps. Yes, perhaps they conversed in undertones, the master and the servant, in two undertones, the master's undertone, the servant's undertone.
  2. An implicit message perceived subtly alongside, but not detracting noticeably from, the explicit message conveyed in or by a book, film, speech or similar (contrast with overtone); an undercurrent. countable,uncountable
  3. A pale colour, or one seen underneath another colour. countable,uncountable
  4. A low state of the physical faculties. countable,uncountable
    — Sedentary occupations are likely to result in undertone, and this undertone not being relieved by physiological means, constipation is a probable outcome.
动词 v.
  1. To accompany as an undertone.
    — The Missionary's address rolled on in choppy Chinook, undertoned by a gentle voice from the back of the room which told Tanook in pure Indian words what he was to do.
  2. To say or speak in an undertone.
    — Evan paid no attention to him, and answered none of his hasty undertoned questions.
  3. To present as less important, noticeable or prominent.
    — Men rarely make this mistake, their habitual blunder being to undertone everything, to make too light of Julia's new frock, and Johnnie's symptoms of measles, and the way they waste things down stairs.

词形变化

undertones plural undertones present,singular,third-person undertoning participle,present undertoned participle,past undertoned past

词汇关系

近义词
underhue
反义词
accent accentuate

词源

词源 1
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁én
Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér
Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí
Proto-Indo-European *-ér
Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér
Proto-Germanic *under
Proto-West Germanic *undar
Old English under-
Middle English under-
English under-
English tone
English undertone
From under- + tone.
词源 2
Etymology tree
Proto-Indo-European *h₁én
Proto-Indo-European *h₁entér
Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰí
Proto-Indo-European *-ér
Proto-Indo-European *(H)n̥dʰér
Proto-Germanic *under
Proto-West Germanic *undar
Old English under-
Middle English under-
English under-
English tone
English undertone
From under- + tone.
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