All 6 Uses

tone
in
The Secret Life of Bees
(Edited)

I could not account for the strange tone of his voice, an unnatural sound, how it was almost, but not quite, kind.
p. 18.1

tone = quality of voice expressing a feeling or attitude
But Rosaleen, who had less sense than I'd dreamed, said in this tone like she was explaining something real hard to a kindergarten student, "I'm going to register my name so I can vote, that's what."
p. 31.8 *

tone = quality of voice expressing an attitude
"Since you got everything else figured out, I guess you know where we're going," she said, and there was a tone in her voice.
p. 49.3

tone = quality of the voice that expresses a general feeling, mood, or attitude
He thought the tone of shock in my voice was really consternation.
p. 64.2

tone = quality of voice expressing a feeling
I heard the bitter tone in my voice, and it came to me how I could lock that tone into my voice forever.
p. 264.6

tone = quality of the voice that expresses a general feeling, mood, or attitude
I heard the bitter tone in my voice, and it came to me how I could lock that tone into my voice forever.
p. 264.6

Definitions:

(1) (tone as in: the tone of the essay)
the general feeling, mood, or attitude of something -- especially of something said or written
(2) (meaning too common or too rare to warrant focus)
See a comprehensive dictionary for the many other common and less common meanings of tone including:
- a quality of sound, music, or voice
- a quality of color
- a quality of muscles seen after exercise, or the act of exercising to create that quality
- signals from a telephone
The expression "tone down", means to make something less forceful.