(c) Fig.: To moderate or relax; to diminish or weaken the striking
characteristics of; to soften.
The best method for the purpose in hand was to employ some one of a
character and position suited to get possession of their confidence,
and then use it to tone down their religious strictures.
Palfrey.
— To tone up, to cause to give a higher tone or sound; to give a higher
tone to; to make more intense; to heighten; to strengthen.
Toned (?), a. Having (such) a tone; — chiefly used in composition; as,
high-toned; sweet- toned.
Toned paper, paper having a slight tint, in distinction from paper
which is quite white.
Tone"less (?), a. Having no tone; unmusical.
{ Tong (?), Tonge}, n. Tongue. [Obs.] Chaucer.
Ton"ga (?), n. (Med.) A drug useful in neuralgia, derived from a Fijian
plant supposed to be of the aroid genus Epipremnum.
Tong"kang (?), n. (Naut.) A kind of boat or junk used in the seas of
the Malay Archipelago.
Ton"go (?), n. The mangrove; — so called in the Pacific Islands.
Tongs (?), n. pl. [OE. tonge, tange, AS. tange; akin to D. tang, G.
zanga, OHG. zanga, Don. tang, Sw. tång, Icel. töng, Gr. da`knein to
bite, Skr. dañiç, daç. √59. Cf. Tang a strong taste, anything
projecting.] An instrument, usually of metal, consisting of two parts,
or long shafts, jointed together at or near one end, or united by an
elastic bow, used for handling things, especially hot coals or metals;
— often called a pair of tongs.
Tongue (?), n. [OE. tunge, tonge, AS. tunge; akin to OFries. tunge, D.
tong, OS. tunga, G. zunge, OHG. zunga, Icel. & Sw. tunga, Dan tunge,
Goth. tugg, OL. dingua, L. lingua. √243 Cf.Language, Lingo. ]
1. (Anat.) an organ situated in the floor of the mouth of most
vertebrates and connected with the hyoid arch.
The tongue is usually muscular, mobile, and free at one extremity, and
in man other mammals is the principal organ of taste, aids in the
prehension of food, in swallowing, and in modifying the voice as in
speech.
To make his English sweet upon his tongue.
Chaucer.