The seriousness of his opening statement 'set the tone' for/of the meeting. [=his opening statement established that the meeting would be serious]
('Brit') I keep getting the 'engaged tone'. [=('US') 'busy signal'; the sound which indicates that the telephone line is already being used]
People will be more likely to listen to you if you 'tone down' your language a little.
(..) Page! Barker, that is not your boyfriend's dick, do not come early. Bar Five Six and.. Stop! Now this one really upsets me. We have an out-of-tone player here. Before I continue, would that player care to identify himself? No? Ok, maybe a bug flew in my ear. Five Six and.. No, my ears are fine, we definitely have an out-of-tone player. Whoever it is, this is your last chance. And there it went. Now either you are deliberately playing out-of-tone and sabotaging my band Or you don't know you are out-of-tone which I'm afraid is even worse. (..)2014 Whiplash