give the keynote address to ( an audience)

a fundamental or central idea

( music) the first note of a diatonic scale

the principal theme in a speech or literary work

set the keynote of; " Comfort keynotes this designer's Fall collection"

The fundamental fact or idea; that which gives the key; as, the keynote of a policy or a sermon.

The tonic or first tone of the scale in which a piece or passage is written; the fundamental tone of the chord, to which all the modulations of the piece are referred; - called also key tone.

The basal note in a system of musical notes; ruling principle.

In homeopathy, one of the characteristic symptoms of a drug, serving as a guide for the exhibition of the remedy when a similar symptom occurs in disease.

The key or fundamental note of a piece of music.

Fundamental note of a given scale or musical piece.

The tonic of a key, from which it is named.

A ruling principle or sentiment.

The fundamental note.

Indeed, the keynote of government is injustice. – Anarchism and Other Essays by Emma Goldman

This same selfishness has been the keynote of her policy down to the present day, except as the force of circumstances has modified it. – The Complete Essays of C. D. Warner by Charles Dudley Warner

The Collect of Complete Confidence, with its Verse and Respond, is placed here to strike the keynote of the Section: and the Section is filled up from the Occasional Prayers, or from the Collects after the Communion Service. – The Prayer Book Explained by Percival Jackson

Conquest was not a familiar word in the vocabulary of James Madison, and he may well have prayed to be delivered from the hands of his friends, if this was to be the keynote of their defense of his policy in West Florida. – Jefferson and his Colleagues A Chronicle of the Virginia Dynasty, Volume 15 In The Chronicles Of America Series by Allen Johnson

Any failure in Art cannot rouse us to this pitch; our sensitive, appreciative spirits would assuredly flag unless some keynote of resonant power were sounded. – Original Letters and Biographic Epitomes by J. Atwood.Slater

The splendour was thine own, The rapture mine; and Doubt was overthrown, And Grief forgot the keynote of its threne. – Love Letters of a Violinist and Other Poems by Eric Mackay

From this point of view the first verse strikes the keynote of the whole. – Mr. Gladstone and Genesis Essay #5 from "Science and Hebrew Tradition" by Thomas Henry Huxley

The keynote of Dewey's new psychology is a process of selection constantly occurring within the individual organism. – John Dewey's logical theory by Delton Thomas Howard

This was the keynote of " The Chimes." – Life of Charles Dickens by Frank Marzials

It is also a part of the decorative scheme, and as such must help to furnish the keynote of our plans. – The Complete Home by Various

Ambition was the keynote of his life; not an unworthy keynote, by any means, if only the ambition be sound; but one serious defect of Columbus's ambition was that it was retrospective rather than perspective. – Christopher Columbus, Complete by Filson Young

What is the keynote to good breeding? – Entertainments for Home, Church and School by Frederica Seeger

The keynote of the little book was that knowledge of nature could be gained only by observation and experiment, and that for these the ordinary things in the world around us provided ample material. – Thomas Henry Huxley; A Sketch Of His Life And Work by P. Chalmers Mitchell

It was the keynote to the Imperialist hopes. – The Missourian by Eugene P. (Eugene Percy) Lyle

Instead of the ignoble belief that we can fling our sins upon another it makes personal responsibility the keynote of life. – Elementary Theosophy by L. W. Rogers

What is the keynote to good manners? – Games For All Occasions by Mary E. Blain

The keynote of the whole movement is the protection of the weak. – Problems of Poverty by John A. Hobson

He was a painter of much culture, and the keynote of his art is refinement. – A Text-Book of the History of Painting by John C. Van Dyke

The voices were those of Mrs. Goring and Leyden, and anger was the keynote of the discussion. – Gold Out of Celebes by Aylward Edward Dingle

Ambition, she said, with a slow emphasis, is the keynote of Mr. Quarrier's character. – Denzil Quarrier by George Gissing