tonic Hear it!

tonic Definition

tonic (tän′ik)

adjective

  1. of, producing, or tending to produce good muscular tone, or tension
  2. mentally or morally invigorating; stimulating
  3. having to do with tones; specif.,
    1. Music designating or based on the first tone (keynote) of a diatonic scale a tonic chord
    2. Painting having to do with the tone or tones of a picture
    3. Phonet., Now Rare designating or of sounds characterized by resonance in the head cavities; also, accented
  4. Med., Physiol. of or characterized by tone, or tonus

Etymology: Gr tonikos < tonos: see tone

noun

  1. anything that invigorates or stimulates; specif.,
    1. a drug, medicine, or other agent for restoring or increasing body tone
    2. a hair or scalp dressing
    1. a carbonated beverage flavored with a little quinine and served in a mixed drink with gin, vodka, etc.; quinine water
    2. Chiefly Northeast soda pop
  3. Music the first, or basic, tone of a diatonic scale; keynote
  4. Phonet., Now Rare a tonic sound or syllable

tonic Related Forms

ton′i·cally adverb

tonic Synonyms

tonic

n.

  1. An invigorating mixture

    stimulant, bracer, refresher, invigorator, medicine, conditioner, hair tonic, liver tonic, mineral water, quinine water, patent medicine; see also drug 2.

  2. *Soda

    pop, soda pop, soft drink; see soda.

tonic Usage Examples

Converse of object

  • generalize: Partial seizures can progress into a generalized tonic clonic seizure.
  • prove: However, a first-half goal - his first for the club - and a place in the fifth round proved a useful tonic.

Adjective modifier

  • soothing: A soothing tonic indeed to then read Woolf's paean to Elizabeth Barrett Browning's spaniel, Flush.
  • digestive: An infusion taken two to three times daily is a digestive tonic or can be used externally to wash wounds.
  • herbal: More... Hawthorn & Artichoke Formula A herbal tonic to help us survive in a polluted world.
  • bitter: The tincture was formerly used as a bitter tonic and antiperiodic and had the reputation of curing leprosy.
  • perfect: Romantic Weekend Breaks A romantic weekend break can be the perfect tonic.
  • immune: Immune tonics are herbs that support you between bouts of ill-health and which hopefully prevent illness or reduce the severity.

Modifies a noun

  • sol-fa: So he returned to Hungary with the Curwen books and over the next decade revised and refined tonic sol-fa.
  • spasm: Tonic spasms may develop at 3 - 4 months.
  • herb: Used as a tonic herb, when the body is under stress.
  • seizure: Tonic seizure tend to last no longer than 10 seconds.
  • wine: The drink of Airdrie is Buckfast, a 12 % proof tonic wine created in Devon by the Monks of Buckfast abbey.
  • water: Drinking orange juice or tonic water may help to alleviate any cramp pain.

Noun used with modifier

  • vodka: Frozen vodka tonics were served up a flight of broad mahogany steps in a nearby tree.
  • nerve: Over a period of time, oats can act as a nerve tonic, reducing stress and aiding relaxation.
  • liver: Consider using a liver tonic to help detoxify the body.
  • spring: March 1987: " ' Phantom ' works like good, spring tonic " by Frank Hunter The Clayton Citizen Journal.
  • heart: Hypertension, heart tonic, ongoing research into tumor therapy.
  • brain: John Carey in the Sunday Times says of him: " The way Dawkins writes about science is not just a brain tonic.