Tone

n. [Lat. tonus, a sound, tone, from Gr. τόνος, a stretching, straining, raising of the voice, a tone, accent, from τείνειν, to stretch or strain; It. tuono, tono, Sp. tono, ton, Pg. tom, Pr. & Fr. ton, Ger. & Sw. ton, Dan. tone, D. toon, M. H. Ger. dôn.]

1. Sound, or the character of a sound, or a sound considered as of this or that character; as, a low tone, high tone, or loud tone; a grave tone; an acute tone; a sweet tone; a harsh tone.
2. (Rhet.) Accent, or inflection or modulation of the voice, as adapted to express emotion or passion. Eager his tone, and ardent were his eyes. Dryden.
3. A whining style of speaking; a kind of mournful or artificial strain of voice; an affected speaking with a measured rhythm and a regular rise and fall of the voice; as, children often read with a tone.
4. (Mus.) (a.) A sound considered as to pitch; as, the seven tones of the octave; she has good high tones. (b.) The larger kind of interval between contiguous sounds in the diatonic scale, the smaller being called a semitone; as, a whole tone too flat; raise it a tone. (c.) The peculiar quality of sound in any voice or instrument; as, a rich tone; a reedy tone.

☞ The use of the word tone, both for a sound and for the interval between two sounds or tones, is confusing, but is common — almost universal. 5. (Med.) 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. ☞ Tone, in its primary signification, is tension, and tension is the primary signification of strength; hence its application to the natural healthy state of animal organs. Tone, therefore, in medicine, is the strength and activity of the organs, from which proceed healthy functions. In this sense, the word is metaphorically applied to character or faculties, intellectual and moral.

6. State of mind; temper; mood. “To drag the mind . . . from a philosophical tone or temper.” Bolingbroke.
7. Tenor; character; spirit; drift. “The tone of his remarks was commendatory.”
8. General or prevailing character or style, as of morals, manners, or sentiment, in reference to a scale of high and low, or as like a tinge of color; as, a low tone of morals; an elevated tone of sentiment; a courtly tone of manners.
9. (Paint.) The prevailing color of a picture, or its general effect.

☞ It depends, first, upon the right relations of objects in shadow to the principal light; and second, upon the quality of color. The term is often used to qualify, or as synonymous with, depth, richness, and splendor, in pictures. Fairholt.