Hypertext Webster Gateway: "tonic"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Tonic \Ton"ic\, a. (Med.)
Characterized by continuous muscular contraction; as, tonic
convulsions.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Tonic \Ton"ic\, n. [Cf. F. tonique, 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 strength, 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}.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
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
healthy functions.
{Tonic spasm}. (Med.) See the Note under {Spasm}.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
tonic
adj 1: (physiology) of or relating to or producing normal tone or
tonus in muscles or tissue; "a tonic reflex"; "tonic
muscle contraction"
2: employing variations in pitch to distinguish meanings of
otherwise similar words; "Chinese is a tonal language"
[syn: {tonal}]
3: used of syllables; "a tonic syllables carries the main
stress in a word" [syn: {accented}] [ant: {atonic}]
4: relating to or being the keynote of a major or minor scale;
"tonic harmony"
5: imparting vitality and energy; "the bracing mountain air"
[syn: {bracing}, {brisk}, {energizing}, {energising}, {fresh},
{refreshing}, {refreshful}]
n 1: lime- or lemon-flavored carbonated water containing quinine
[syn: {tonic water}, {quinine water}]
2: a sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring; "in
New England they call sodas tonics" [syn: {pop}, {soda}, {soda
pop}, {soda water}]
3: (music) the first note of a diatonic scale [syn: {keynote}]
4: a medicine that strengthens and invigorates [syn: {restorative}]
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