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

• 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。
• There is also a suspicion that Chuan Ying Lou seems to carry an erotic undertone& does it in any way reflect my romances?
  又怀疑着这钏影楼三字，好像是个香艳的名词，有没有我的什么罗曼史在里面？
• It was this profound and continual undertone that gave the clergyman his most appropriate power.
  牧师正是靠了这种深邃而持续的低沉语调而获得了恰到好处的力量。
• 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。
• Ron told Harry and Hermione in an undertone as they left Percy to it.
  他们离开珀西时，罗恩低声对哈利和赫敏说。
• His voice sank down to a steady and reproachful undertone.
  他的声音降了下去，变得平稳了，里面还带着点儿责备。
• 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。
• 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 undertone is very clear: the foundation of the marriage at that time is not emotion but possession.
  该底色是非常明确的：当时的婚姻的基础是感情，但不占有。
• 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。