Tone /(tōn)/

1. Sound, or the character of a sound, or a sound considered as of this or that character; as, a low, high, loud, grave, acute, sweet, or harsh tone.

   [Harmony divine] smooths her charming tones.

   Tones that with seraph hymns might blend.

2. Accent, or inflection or modulation of the voice, as adapted to express emotion or passion. (Rhet.)

   Eager his tone, and ardent were his eyes.

3. A whining style of speaking; a kind of mournful or artificial strain of voice; an affected speaking with a measured rhythm ahd a regular rise and fall of the voice; as, children often read with a tone.
4. A sound considered as to pitch; as, the seven tones of the octave; she has good high tones. (Mus.)
5. That state of a body, or of any of its organs or parts, in which the animal functions are healthy and performed with due vigor. (Med.)
6. Tonicity; as, arterial tone. (Physiol.)
7. State of mind; temper; mood.

   The strange situation I am in and the melancholy state of public affairs, . . . drag the mind down . . . from a philosophical tone or temper, to the drudgery of private and public business.

   Their tone was dissatisfied, almost menacing.

8. Tenor; character; spirit; drift; as, the tone of his remarks was commendatory.
9. General or prevailing character or style, as of morals, manners, or sentiment, in reference to a scale of high and low; as, a low tone of morals; a tone of elevated sentiment; a courtly tone of manners.
10. The general effect of a picture produced by the combination of light and shade, together with color in the case of a painting; -- commonly used in a favorable sense; as, this picture has tone.
11. Quality, with respect to attendant feeling; the more or less variable complex of emotion accompanying and characterizing a sensation or a conceptual state; as, feeling tone; color tone. (Physiol.)
12. Color quality proper; -- called also hue. Also, a gradation of color, either a hue, or a tint or shade.

    She was dressed in a soft cloth of a gray tone.

13. The condition of normal balance of a healthy plant in its relations to light, heat, and moisture. (Plant Physiol.)

imp. & p. p. Toned; p. pr. & vb. n. Toning

1. To utter with an affected tone.
2. To give tone, or a particular tone, to; to tune. See Tune, v. t.
3. To bring, as a print, to a certain required shade of color, as by chemical treatment. (Photog.)

   Its thousand hues toned down harmoniusly.

   The best method for the purpose in hand was to employ some one of a character and position suited to get possession of their confidence, and then use it to tone down their religious strictures.