tonic

[tonĀ·ic]

A tonic is something, sometimes a medicine, that makes you feel better or restores you to health. Before doctors prescribed drugs, crooked salesmen sold all sorts of dubious tonics.

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Of or relating to tones or sounds; specifically (Phon.), applied to, or distingshing, a speech sound made with tone unmixed and undimmed by obstruction, such sounds, namely, the vowels and diphthongs, being so called by Dr. James Rush (1833) " from their forming the purest and most plastic material of intonation."

Noun
a medicine that strengthens and invigorates

Noun
(music) the first note of a diatonic scale

Noun
a sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring; "in New England they call sodas tonics"

Noun
lime- or lemon-flavored carbonated water containing quinine

Adjective S.
imparting vitality and energy; "the bracing mountain air"

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Adjective
used of syllables; "a tonic syllables carries the main stress in a word"

Adjective S.
relating to or being the keynote of a major or minor scale; "tonic harmony"

Adjective
employing variations in pitch to distinguish meanings of otherwise similar words; "Chinese is a tonal language"

Adjective
of or relating to or producing normal tone or tonus in muscles or tissue; "a tonic reflex"; "tonic muscle contraction"


a.
Of or relating to tones or sounds; specifically (Phon.), applied to, or distingshing, a speech sound made with tone unmixed and undimmed by obstruction, such sounds, namely, the vowels and diphthongs, being so called by Dr. James Rush (1833) " from their forming the purest and most plastic material of intonation."

a.
Of or pertaining to tension; increasing tension; hence, increasing strength; as, tonic power.

a.
Increasing strength, or the tone of the animal system; obviating the effects of debility, and restoring healthy functions.

n.
A tonic element or letter; a vowel or a diphthong.

n.
The key tone, or first tone of any scale.

n.
A medicine that increases the strength, and gives vigor of action to the system.


Tonic

Ton"ic , a. [Cf. F. tonigue, Gr. . See Tone.] 1. Of or relating to tones or sounds; specifically (Phon.), applied to, or distingshing, a speech sound made with tone unmixed and undimmed by obstruction, such sounds, namely, the vowels and diphthongs, being so called by Dr. James Rush (1833) " from their forming the purest and most plastic material of intonation." 2. Of or pertaining to tension; increasing tension; hence, increasing strength; as, tonic power. 3. (Med.) Increasing strength, or the tone of the animal system; obviating the effects of debility, and restoring heatly functions. Tononic spasm. (Med.) See the Note under Spasm.

Tonic

Ton"ic, n. [Cf. F. tonigue, NL. tonicum.] 1. (Phon.) A tonic element or letter; a vowel or a diphthong. 2. (Mus.) The key tone, or first tone of any scale. 3. (Med.) A medicine that increases the srength, and gives vigor of action to the system. Tonic sol-fa (Mus.), the name of the most popular among letter systems of notation (at least in England), based on key relationship, and hence called "tonic." Instead of the five lines, clefs, signature, etc., of the usual notation, it employs letters and the syllables do, re, mi, etc., variously modified, with other simple signs of duration, of upper or lower octave, etc. See Sol-fa.

Of or relating to tones or sounds; specifically (Phon.), applied to, or distingshing, a speech sound made with tone unmixed and undimmed by obstruction, such sounds, namely, the vowels and diphthongs, being so called by Dr. James Rush (1833) " from their forming the purest and most plastic material of intonation."

A tonic element or letter; a vowel or a diphthong.

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Usage Examples

Good humor is a tonic for mind and body. It is the best antidote for anxiety and depression. It is a business asset. It attracts and keeps friends. It lightens human burdens. It is the direct route to serenity and contentment.

There is no medicine like hope, no incentive so great, and no tonic so powerful as expectation of something tomorrow.

That's why I wrote this book: to show how these people can imbue us with hope. I read somewhere that when a person takes part in community action, his health improves. Something happens to him or to her biologically. It's like a tonic.

Misspelled Form

tonic, rtonic, 5tonic, 6tonic, ytonic, gtonic, ronic, 5onic, 6onic, yonic, gonic, tronic, t5onic, t6onic, tyonic, tgonic, tionic, t9onic, t0onic, tponic, tlonic, tinic, t9nic, t0nic, tpnic, tlnic, toinic, to9nic, to0nic, topnic, tolnic, tobnic, tohnic, tojnic, tomnic, to nic, tobic, tohic, tojic, tomic, to ic, tonbic, tonhic, tonjic, tonmic, ton ic, tonuic, ton8ic, ton9ic, tonoic, tonjic, tonkic, tonuc, ton8c, ton9c, tonoc, tonjc, tonkc, toniuc, toni8c, toni9c, tonioc, tonijc, tonikc, tonixc, tonidc, tonifc, tonivc, toni c, tonix, tonid, tonif, toniv, toni , tonicx, tonicd, tonicf, tonicv, tonic .

Other Usage Examples

My good health is due to a soup made of white doves. It is simply wonderful as a tonic.

Woes and wonders of Power, that tonic hell, synthesis of poison and panacea.

If you do not feel yourself growing in your work and your life broadening and deepening, if your task is not a perpetual tonic to you, you have not found your place.

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