{
    "term": "tone",
    "partOfSpeech": "noun",
    "ox3000": true,
    "cefr": "b2",
    "definitions": [
        {
            "senseNumber": 1,
            "definition": "the quality of somebody’s voice, especially expressing a particular emotion",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "speaking in hushed/low/clipped/measured, etc. tones"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a conversational tone"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a tone of surprise"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Don't speak to me in that **tone of voice** *(= in that unpleasant way)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There's not need to **take that tone** *(= speak critically or rudely)* with me—it's not my fault we're late."
                },
                {
                    "text": "‘You ought to have thought of them,’ she said in a reproachful tone."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Excuse me, I don't like your tone."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her tone betrayed her impatience."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her tone sounded sincere but I knew she was lying."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His tone changed dramatically when he saw the money."
                },
                {
                    "text": "In cool, clipped tones, he told her what had happened."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She answered him in a brisk, matter-of-fact tone."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His tone was faintly mocking."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The question was posed in a flat tone."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The rising tone of her voice emphasized her panic."
                },
                {
                    "text": "When she heard my accent, she adopted a warmer tone."
                },
                {
                    "text": "We heard the dulcet tones of the sergeant, bawling at us to get on parade."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["deep", "low", "hushed"],
                "verb + tone": ["adopt", "speak in", "strike"],
                "tone + verb": ["change", "soften", "convey something"],
                "preposition": ["in a/​the tone", "in tones of"],
                "phrases": ["a tone of voice"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 2,
            "definition": "the general character and attitude of something such as a piece of writing, or the atmosphere of an event",
            "sensetop": "in tone",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "The overall tone of the book is gently nostalgic."
                },
                {
                    "text": "She **set the tone for** the meeting with a firm statement of company policy."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Trust you to **lower the tone** of the conversation *(= for example by telling a rude joke)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The article was moderate in tone and presented both sides of the case.",
                    "contextForm": "in tone"
                },
                {
                    "text": "a change in tone"
                },
                {
                    "text": "The film takes a sudden shift in tone in the final minutes."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The newspaper said voters had been turned off by the negative tone of the campaign."
                },
                {
                    "text": "He uses humour to lighten the tone of the novel."
                },
                {
                    "text": "His letter was very negative in tone."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The general tone of the report was favourable."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The movie has a jokey tone throughout."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The music perfectly matches the tone of the movie."
                },
                {
                    "text": "The newspaper sets a high moral tone in its editorial about politicians' private lives."
                },
                {
                    "text": "There is a marked change of tone in the second half of the book."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["dominant", "general", "overall"],
                "verb + tone": ["establish", "set", "have"],
                "preposition": ["in tone"],
                "phrases": ["a change in tone", "a change of tone"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 3,
            "definition": "the quality of a sound, especially the sound of a musical instrument or one produced by electronic equipment",
            "cefr": "b2",
            "ox3000": true,
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the full rich tone of the trumpet"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the sweet tone of the flute"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the volume and tone controls on a car stereo"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Music"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["deep", "low", "hushed"],
                "verb + tone": ["adopt", "speak in", "strike"],
                "tone + verb": ["change", "soften", "convey something"],
                "preposition": ["in a/​the tone", "in tones of"],
                "phrases": ["a tone of voice"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 4,
            "definition": "a shade of a colour",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a carpet in warm tones of brown and orange"
                },
                {
                    "text": "You should use a foundation that matches your skin tone."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Dark, rich tones will absorb light to make a room look smaller."
                },
                {
                    "text": "Her hair was lit with copper tones."
                },
                {
                    "text": "muted tones of blue and green"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Colours and Shapes"],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["light", "muted", "neutral"],
                "verb + tone": ["match"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 5,
            "definition": "how strong and tight your muscles or skin are",
            "cefr": "c2",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "how to improve your **muscle/skin tone**"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Appearance"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 6,
            "definition": "a sound heard on a phone line",
            "labels": "(British English)(North American English)",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "the **dialling tone**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "the **dial tone**"
                },
                {
                    "text": "Please speak after the tone *(= for example as an instruction on an answering machine)*."
                },
                {
                    "text": "I keep getting the engaged tone."
                }
            ],
            "collocations": {
                "adjective": ["dial", "dialling", "engaged"],
                "verb + tone": ["get"],
                "tone + verb": ["sound"]
            }
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 7,
            "definition": "one of the five longer intervals in a musical scale, for example the interval between C and D or between E and F♯",
            "labels": "(British English)US English",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 8,
            "definition": "the pitch (= how high or low a sound is) of a syllable in speaking",
            "cefr": "c1",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a **rising/falling tone**"
                }
            ],
            "topics": ["Language"]
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 9,
            "definition": "a particular pitch pattern on a syllable in languages such as Chinese, that can be used to recognize the difference in meanings",
            "examples": []
        },
        {
            "senseNumber": 10,
            "definition": "having the type of tone mentioned",
            "examples": [
                {
                    "text": "a bright-toned soprano"
                },
                {
                    "text": "olive-toned skin"
                }
            ]
        }
    ],
    "pronunciations": {
        "uk": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/təʊn/",
                "audio": "to/tone/tone__gb_1.mp3"
            }
        ],
        "us": [
            {
                "pronunciation": "/təʊn/",
                "audio": "to/tone/tone__us_1.mp3"
            }
        ]
    },
    "wordOrigin": "Middle English: from Old French ton, from Latin tonus, from Greek tonos ‘tension, tone’, from teinein ‘to stretch’."
}