saw-tones
Definition
Noun (plural only): - A strident or grating quality of voice: "saw-tones" refers to a harsh, unpleasant, or screeching manner of speaking, characterized by a tone that resembles the sound of a saw cutting through wood.
Usage Examples
- (She used a harsh, grating voice that was uncomfortable to hear.)
- (The teacher's strident voice carried loudly and was unpleasant.)
Advanced Usage
- "to speak in saw-tones": to utter words with a piercing, raspy, or shrill quality.
- The old man always spoke in saw-tones, as if his throat were full of gravel. (He had a consistently harsh and grating voice.)
Variants and Related Words
- Saw-toned (adj): having a voice that is harsh or grating.
- Her saw-toned voice made the lecture difficult to listen to. (Her voice was unpleasant and piercing.)
Synonyms
- Strident: loud and harsh; grating.
- Raspy: rough and harsh-sounding, like a rasp.
- Shrill: high-pitched and piercing.
- Grating: irritating and harsh to the ear.
Related Idioms
- "to cut through the air like a saw": a descriptive phrase for a voice that is extremely sharp and unpleasant.
- His laugh cut through the air like a saw, making everyone uncomfortable. (His laugh was loud and harsh.)