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

• 'What d'you think?' she asked in an undertone
  “你觉得怎么样？”她小声地问道。
• A remark made in an undertone so as to be inaudible to others nearby.
  窃窃私语小声说出以不让旁边其他人听到的话。
• 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。
• 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。
• 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 young director filmed this story in a bittersweet undertone, playing with fictional and documentary codes.
  年轻的导演以一种苦乐参半的语调讲述了这个故事，虚构与纪实的因素穿插其间。
• Now she caught the low undertone, as of the wind sinking down to repose itself; then ascended with it, as it rose through progressive gradations of sweetness and power, until its volume seemed to envelop her with an atmosphere of awe and solemn grandeur.
  如今她聆听着那低低的音调，犹如大风缓吹，逐渐平患一般；然后，她又随着那步步上升的甜美和力量飞腾，直到那音量似乎用敬畏和庄严的宏体氛围将她包裹起来。
• In an undertone he gave me the lowdown on them.
  他低声给我有关他们的底细。
• Most people should use a blush with a slight brown undertone for best results. Blushes with red undertones can actually make the face look heavier than it is.
  大部分人都会用点腮红来衬托肤色。然而往往腮红会让脸看起来比较臃肿。
• 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？”