tönen
German
Etymology
From Middle High German dœnen, *tœnen, derived from tōn, whence modern Ton (“tone, sound”).
Pronunciation
Verb
- (intransitive) to give a loud and far-reaching sound
- (intransitive, Switzerland) to sound; to give or have a sound
- Synonym: (the general word) klingen
- Diese beiden Wörter tönen ähnlich. ― These two words sound similar.
- (intransitive, informal) to boast; to brag (particularly about an intention to do something)
- Vor dem Spiel hatte der Gegner getönt, er würde uns „vernichten“.
- Before the game, the other team had bragged they would “annihilate” us.
- (transitive, of hair) to dye with a weak colouring that gives the hair a new tone rather than an entirely different colour; to tint
- Synonyms: färben, kolorieren
- Sie hatte ihre Haare mit Henna getönt. ― She had dyed her hair with henna.
Conjugation
Derived terms
Further reading
- “tönen” in Duden online