tone

tone is a Noun

Definition:

[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. Milton. Tones that with seraph hymns might blend. Keble.

[2] 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 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.

[5] 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.

[6] The peculiar quality of sound in any voice or instrument; as, a rich tone, a reedy tone.

[7] A mode or tune or plain chant; as, the Gregorian tones.

[8] 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.

[9] Tonicity; as, arterial tone.

[10] 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. Bolingbroke. Their tone was dissatisfied, almost menacing. W. C. Bryant.

[11] Tenor; character; spirit; drift; as, the tone of his remarks was commendatory.

[12] 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.

[13] 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. Tone color. (Mus.) see the Note under def. 4, above. -- Tone syllable, an accented syllable. M. Stuart.