tonically

English

Etymology

From tonic +‎ -ally.

Adverb

tonically (not comparable)

1. in a tonic manner
   • 1999 November 26, Mandar S. Jog et al., “Building Neural Representations of Habits”, in Science‎^[1], volume 286, number 5445, →DOI, pages 1745–1749:

     Slow-developing changes in the population response of the tonically active neurons of the striatum, putative interneurons, have also been found [ T. Aosaki, et al., J. Neurosci.

   • 1922, Chevalier Jackson, Bronchoscopy and Esophagoscopy‎^[2]:

     Force must not be used, but steady firm pressure against the tonically contracted cricopharyngeus is made, while at the same time the distal end of the esophagoscope is lifted by the left thumb.

   • 1917, Arnold Bennett, Books and Persons‎^[3]:

     It is too proud, too austere, too true, and too tonically cruel to appeal to mandarins.

   • 1913, Henry James, A Small Boy and Others‎^[4]:

     The Bookstore, fondest of my father's resorts, though I remember no more of its public identity than that it further enriched the brave depth of Broadway, was overwhelmingly and irresistibly English, as not less tonically English was our principal host there, with whom we had moreover, my father and I, thanks to his office, such personal and genial relations that I recall seeing him grace our board at home, in company with his wife, whose vocal strain and complexion and coiffure and flounces I found none the less informing, none the less "racial," for my not being then versed in the language of analysis.

   • 1891, W. S. B. Mathews, A Popular History of the Art of Music‎^[5]:

     The preceding, for instance, proceeds regularly in the key of G in all respects but the very ending of each strain, which takes place in the key of C. Or to speak tonically, the melody and accompaniment after being written nearly all the way in the key of Do, suddenly diverge to the key of Fa, and there close.

Anagrams

• clonality, ontically