1.To utter with an affected tone.
3.(Photog.) To bring, as a print, to a certain required shade of color, as by chemical treatment.
To tone down. (a)To cause to give lower tone or sound; to give a lower tone to.
(b)(Paint.) To modify, as color, by making it less brilliant or less crude; to modify, as a composition of color, by making it more harmonius. "Its thousand hues toned down harmoniusly."
(c)Fig.: To moderate or relax; to diminish or weaken the striking characteristics of; to soften. "The best method for the purpose in hand was to employ some one of a character and position suited to get possession of their confidence, and then use it to tone down their religious strictures."
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