Spock allowed an edge of irony to color his tone.

The memory of his thrill at receiving such a prize colored his tone.

Years-old bitterness colored his tone like an old stain that wouldn't quite wash out.

Hughes replied with more than a little amazement coloring his tone.

"I believe she might be damaged," he said, allowing no trace of his thoughts to color his tone.

But he weighed his words carefully and colored his tone tellingly at times.

By that I mean that the piano, as an instrument with a neutral sound, allows one to color its tone.

You've been very sick, Ruth said, anxiety coloring his tone.

Now there was some of the same scorn she had shown me coloring her tone.

He permitted a trace of deliberate patience to color his own tone.