▪ I. † ˈintonate, v.1 Obs. rare.
[f. ppl. stem of L. intonāre intr., to thunder, thunder forth, f. in- (in-2) + tonāre to thunder.]
trans. To thunder forth; to utter with a loud voice like thunder.
| 1626 Donne Serm. xlvi. 467 God intimates, God interminates, God intonates with such a vehemency..‘Earth, earth, earth, heare the Word of the Lord’. 1739 S. Harris 53rd Ch. Isaiah App. 262 So then, the great τετελέσται shall be intonated by the general Voice of the whole Host of Heaven. |
▪ II. intonate, v.2
(ˈɪntəʊneɪt)
[f. ppl. stem of med.L. intonāre = It. intonare, F. entonner, f. in-, F. en- (in-2) + tonus, F. ton tone.]
1. trans. To recite in a singing voice; to intone.
| 1795 Roscoe Lorenzo (1796) II. 270 Savonarola..intonating with a tremendous voice, the psalm Exurgat Deus. 1858 De Quincey Th. Grk. Trag. Wks. IX. 74 The recitation..was undoubtedly much more sustained, and intonated with a slow and measured stateliness. 1864 Sir F. Palgrave Norm. & Eng. III. 631 As little intelligible to his auditors, as if Caedmon..were to intonate his glee at an oratorio in Hanover Square. |
2. To utter or pronounce with a particular tone; to give a specified or indicated intonation to.
| 1823 New Monthly Mag. VIII. 18 ‘Thus’ is intonated comparatively high. 1824 Blackw. Mag. XV. 589 The Italian naturally intonates his language with greater violence, and change of tone and emphasis, than an English⁓man does. 1867 Macfarren Harmony i. 7 The Easter and Southern nations..habitually intonate smaller musical intervals than semitones. |
3. Phonetics. To emit or pronounce with sonant vibration; to ‘voice’. rare.
| 1875 Whitney Life Lang. iv. 66 The l sets the tip of the tongue against the roof of the mouth, but leaves the sides open for the free escape of the intonated breath. |