tone

In literature, the manner in which written words might be said (for example, sarcastic, mild, witty, angry).

Tone is hard to separate from mood, but in general the tone of a work can gradually shift (perhaps from sarcastic to ironic or from angry to remorseful), while mood describes the feeling of the entire piece. The tone of a work is produced mainly by the writer's diction or choice of words, but stylistic choices concerning syntax, line or sentence length, imagery, and so forth may also contribute.

tone

In music, the quality of sound – for instance, different strings of a violin may be able to sound the same note (pitch) given certain fingerings, but each string has a different tone. A tone can also be a plainsong melody; it is also the US term (or wholetone) for a note, an interval consisting of two semitones, for example the interval of C–D.

tone

In art, the quality and depth of a colour, particularly the gradations from light to dark. A colour may be ‘toned down’ to make it less vivid, or ‘toned up’ to make it more solid or brighter. Tonality refers to the general effect of the tones of a painting, and tonal value describes the relationship of tone between one part of a painting and another. A tonal drawing is different to a line or contour drawing, as it includes the tones or shades of the objects being viewed.