undertone

英 [ˈʌndətəʊn]

美 [ˈʌndərtoʊn]

n.  蕴涵的感情(或特质、意思); 寓意; 弦外之音

复数：undertones　第三人称单数：undertones　

BNC.18589 / COCA.18524

习惯用语

n.

in an undertonein undertones
• 低声地；小声地
  in a quiet voice

牛津词典

noun

• 蕴涵的感情（或特质、意思）；寓意；弦外之音
  a feeling, quality or meaning that is not expressed directly but is still noticeable from what sb says or does
  1. His soft words contained an undertone of warning.
     他温和的话中蕴涵着警告之意。
  2. The play does not have the political undertones of the novel.
     这部戏没有小说的那种政治寓意。

柯林斯词典

• N-COUNT 低声；悄声
  If you say somethinginanundertone, you say it very quietly.
  1. 'What d'you think?' she asked in an undertone...
     “你觉得怎么样？”她小声地问道。
  2. Well-dressed clients were talking in polite undertones as they ate.
     衣着光鲜的顾客们边吃边斯文地低声聊着天。
• N-COUNT 言下之意；寓意
  If something hasundertonesof a particular kind, it suggests ideas or attitudes of this kind without expressing them directly.
  1. The sobbing voice had an undertone of anger.
     啜泣声中隐隐透着愤怒。
  2. ...a witty, racy story with surprisingly serious undertones.
     诙谐却寓意深刻的荤段子

英英释义

noun

• a pale or subdued color
  Synonym:tinge
• a subdued emotional quality underlying an utterance
  Synonym:undercurrent
• a quiet or hushed tone of voice
  1. spoke in undertones

双语例句

• He replied, laughing but with a undertone of regret.
  他笑着答道，不过笑声中带有一丝后悔的味道。
• He turned back to the boy and said in a trusting and secretive undertone: "let's not pay any attention to him ok?"
  他又转向男孩，用一种信任而机密的口气小声说，“咱们别理他，嗯？”
• But, throughout it all, and through the whole discourse, there had been a certain deep, sad undertone of pathos, which could not be interpreted otherwise than as the natural regret of one soon to pass away.
  但是，贯穿布道词始终的，一直有某种低沉、哀伤的悲调，使人们只能将其解释为一个即将告别人世的人的自然的仟悔。
• It is the thought of sin that will keep you low at His feet, and give the deep undertone to all your adoration.
  就是因为想到罪，才使你低声俯伏在他脚前，深深地降服敬拜他。
• If you're fair-skinned, go for a shade of dress that is more pink or peach in its undertone.
  如果你是浅白肤色，就穿一条底色以粉色或桃红色为主的礼服。
• Well-dressed clients were talking in polite undertones as they ate.
  衣着光鲜的顾客们边吃边斯文地低声聊着天。
• But he did call me to answer. I stood up slowly from my chair with a blush on my face and stated in an undertone due to lack of confidence.
  但是他还是点了我，我从椅子上缓慢地站起来，脸煞得红了，因为没有自信，我很小声地回答了他的问题。
• 'What d'you think?' she asked in an undertone
  “你觉得怎么样？”她小声地问道。
• Hung-chien and his wife heard it all very clearly and blushed simultaneously, but could not easily refute it, since wen-wan's question was spoken in an undertone as though not meant for their ears.
  鸿渐夫妇全听清了，脸同时发红，可是不便驳答，因为文纨问的声音低得似乎不准备给他们听见。
• The warning undertone is that unless we, as consumers, purchase the components of childhood we might not get it right.
  一个微弱的声音警告说，作为消费者，如果我们不购买这些童年构成品，我们就可能做错。