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Definitions for: Tonic
[n] a medicine that strengthens and invigorates
[n] (music) the first note of a diatonic scale
[n] a sweet drink containing carbonated water and flavoring; "in New England they call sodas tonics"
[n] lime- or lemon-flavored carbonated water containing quinine
[adj] imparting vitality and energy; "the bracing mountain air"
[adj] used of syllables; "a tonic syllables carries the main stress in a word"
[adj] relating to or being the keynote of a major or minor scale; "tonic harmony"
[adj] employing variations in pitch to distinguish meanings of otherwise similar words; "Chinese is a tonal language"
[adj] (physiology) of or relating to or producing normal tone or tonus in muscles or tissue; "a tonic reflex"; "tonic muscle contraction"
Webster (1913) Definition: Ton"ic, a. (Med.)
Characterized by continuous muscular contraction; as, tonic
convulsions.
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.
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.
Synonyms: accented, bracing, brisk, energising, energizing, fresh, invigorating, keynote, pop, quinine water, refreshful, refreshing, restorative, soda, soda pop, soda water, tonal, tonal, tonic water
Antonyms: atonic, unaccented
See Also: bracer, carbonated water, club soda, gin and tonic, medicament, medication, medicinal drug, medicine, musical note, note, pick-me-up, quinine, seltzer, soft drink, sparkling water, tone
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