[tone] n [ME, fr. L tonus tension, tone, fr. Gk tonos, lit., act of stretching; akin to Gk teinein to stretch--more at thin] (14c) 1: vocal or musical sound of a specific quality "spoke in low ~s" "masculine ~s"; esp: musical sound with respect to timbre and manner of expression
2. a: a sound of definite pitch and vibration b: whole step
3: accent or inflection expressive of a mood or emotion
4: the pitch of a word often used to express differences of meaning
5: a particular pitch or change of pitch constituting an element in the intonation of a phrase or sentence "high ~" "low ~" "mid ~" "low-rising ~" "falling ~"
6: style or manner of expression in speaking or writing "seemed wise to adopt a conciliatory ~"
7. a (1): color quality or value (2): a tint or shade of color b: the color that appreciably modifies a hue or white or black "gray walls of greenish ~" 8: the effect in painting of light and shade together with color
9. a: the state of a living body or of any of its organs or parts in which the functions are healthy and performed with due vigor b: normal tension or responsiveness to stimuli; specif: muscular tonus
10. a: healthy elasticity: resiliency b: general character, quality, or trend "a city's upbeat ~" c: frame of mind: mood
[2]tone vb toned ; ton.ing vt (1660) 1: intone
2: to give a particular intonation or inflection to 3 a: to impart tone to: strengthen "medicine to ~ up the system" b: to soften or reduce in intensity, color, appearance, or sound: mellow--often used with down c: to change the normal silver image of (as a photographic print) into a colored image ~ vi 1: to assume a pleasing color quality or tint
2: to blend or harmonize in color