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

• Convicting Ms Tymoshenko for a gas deal done with Vladimir Putin, Russia's prime minister and future president, has an "anti-Russian undertone", said the foreign ministry.
  外交部称，判决季莫申科和俄国前总理暨现任总统弗拉基米尔。普金有天然气交易，有一种反对俄罗斯的潜在意味。
• The sobbing voice had an undertone of anger.
  啜泣声中隐隐透着愤怒。
• 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。
• There was an undertone of bitterness in his words.
  他话中有刺。
• 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。
• Cool skin types have a blue undertone in their skin.
  冷色的肤色有蓝色的基调。
• 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。
• In an undertone he gave me the lowdown on them.
  他低声给我有关他们的底细。
• The noise occultation was significant, and the undertone was the easiest one to be occulted.
  噪音对信号的掩蔽作用显著，其中低音最易被掩蔽。
• The nose is full of bright berry fruit and violets with green pepper and a soft tobacco-like undertone.
  富有鲜美的干果仁水果味及伴有轻微青椒和柔软烟草味的紫罗兰香味，就像在窃窃私语。