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Webster 1913 Edition

Sound

Sound

,
Noun.
[AS.
sund
a swimming, akin to E.
swim
. See
Swim
.]
The air bladder of a fish;
as, cod
sounds
are an esteemed article of food
.

Sound

,
Noun.
(Zool.)
A cuttlefish.
[Obs.]
Ainsworth.

Sound

,
Adj.
[
Com
par.
Sounder
;
sup
erl.
Soundest
.]
[OE.
sound
, AS.
sund
; akin to D. ge
zond
, G. ge
sund
, OHG. gi
sunt
, Dan. & Sw.
sund
, and perhaps to L.
sanus
. Cf.
Sane
.]
1.
Whole; unbroken; unharmed; free from flaw, defect, or decay; perfect of the kind;
as,
sound
timber;
sound
fruit; a
sound
tooth; a
sound
ship
.
2.
Healthy; not diseased; not being in a morbid state; – said of body or mind;
as, a
sound
body; a
sound
constitution; a
sound
understanding
.
3.
Firm; strong; safe.
The brasswork here, how rich it is in beams,
And how, besides, it makes the whole house
sound
.
Chapman.
4.
Free from error; correct; right; honest; true; faithful; orthodox; – said of persons;
as, a
sound
lawyer; a
sound
thinker
.
Do not I know you a favorer
Of this new seat? Ye are nor
sound
.
Shakespeare
5.
Founded in truth or right; supported by justice; not to be overthrown on refuted; not fallacious;
as,
sound
argument or reasoning; a
sound
objection;
sound
doctrine;
sound
principles
.
Hold fast the form of
sound
words, which thou hast heard of me.
2 Tim. i. 13.
6.
heavy; laid on with force;
as, a
sound
beating
.
7.
Undisturbed; deep; profound;
as,
sound
sleep
.
8.
Founded in law; legal; valid; not defective;
as, a
sound
title to land
.
☞ Sound is sometimes used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, sound-headed, sound-hearted, sound-timbered, etc.
Sound currency
(Com.)
,
a currency whose actual value is the same as its nominal value; a currency which does not deteriorate or depreciate or fluctuate in comparision with the standard of values.

Sound

,
adv.
Soundly.
So
sound
he slept that naught might him awake.
Spenser.

Sound

,
Noun.
[AS.
sund
a narrow sea or strait; akin to Icel., Sw., Dan. & G.
sund
, probably so named because it could be
swum
across. See
Swim
.]
(Geog.)
A narrow passage of water, or a strait between the mainland and an island; also, a strait connecting two seas, or connecting a sea or lake with the ocean;
as, the
Sound
between the Baltic and the german Ocean; Long Island
Sound
.
The
Sound
of Denmark, where ships pay toll.
Camden.
Sound dues
,
tolls formerly imposed by Denmark on vessels passing through the Baltic Sound.

Sound

,
Verb.
T.
[
imp. & p. p.
Sounded
;
p. pr. & vb. n.
Sounding
.]
[F.
sonder
; cf. AS.
sund
gyrd a sounding rod,
sund
line a sounding line (see
Sound
a narrow passage of water).]
1.
To measure the depth of; to fathom; especially, to ascertain the depth of by means of a line and plummet.
2.
Fig.: To ascertain, or try to ascertain, the thoughts, motives, and purposes of (a person); to examine; to try; to test; to probe.
I was in jest,
And by that offer meant to
sound
your breast.
Dryden.
I’ve
sounded
my Numidians man by man.
Addison.
3.
(Med.)
To explore, as the bladder or urethra, with a sound; to examine with a sound; also, to examine by auscultation or percussion;
as, to
sound
a patient
.

Sound

,
Verb.
I.
To ascertain the depth of water with a sounding line or other device.
I
sound
as a shipman
soundeth
in the sea with his plummet to know the depth of sea.
Palsgrave.

Sound

,
Noun.
[F.
sonde
. See
Sound
to fathom.]
(Med.)
Any elongated instrument or probe, usually metallic, by which cavities of the body are sounded or explored, especially the bladder for stone, or the urethra for a stricture.

Sound

,
Noun.
[OE.
soun
, OF.
son
,
sun
, F.
son
, fr. L.
sonus
akin to Skr.
svana
sound,
svan
to sound, and perh. to E.
swan
. Cf.
Assonant
,
Consonant
,
Person
,
Sonata
,
Sonnet
,
Sonorous
,
Swan
.]
1.
The peceived object occasioned by the impulse or vibration of a material substance affecting the ear; a sensation or perception of the mind received through the ear, and produced by the impulse or vibration of the air or other medium with which the ear is in contact; the effect of an impression made on the organs of hearing by an impulse or vibration of the air caused by a collision of bodies, or by other means; noise; report;
as, the
sound
of a drum; the
sound
of the human voice; a horrid
sound
; a charming
sound
; a sharp, high, or shrill
sound
.
The warlike
sound

Of trumpets loud and clarions.
Milton.
2.
The occasion of sound; the impulse or vibration which would occasion sound to a percipient if present with unimpaired; hence, the theory of vibrations in elastic media such cause sound;
as, a treatise on
sound
.
☞ In this sense, sounds are spoken of as audible and inaudible.
3.
Noise without signification; empty noise; noise and nothing else.
Sense and not
sound
. . . must be the principle.
Locke.
Sound boarding
,
boards for holding pugging, placed in partitions of under floors in order to deaden sounds.
–
Sound bow
,
in a series of transverse sections of a bell, that segment against which the clapper strikes, being the part which is most efficacious in producing the sound. See Illust. of
Bell
.
–
Sound post
.
(Mus.)
See
Sounding post
, under
Sounding
.

Sound

,
Verb.
I.
[OE.
sounen
,
sownen
, OF.
soner
,
suner
, F.
sonner
, from L.
sonare
. See
Sound
a noise.]
1.
To make a noise; to utter a voice; to make an impulse of the air that shall strike the organs of hearing with a perceptible effect.
“And first taught speaking trumpets how to sound.”
Dryden.
How silver-sweet
sound
lovers' tongues!
Shakespeare
2.
To be conveyed in sound; to be spread or published; to convey intelligence by sound.
From you
sounded
out the word of the Lord.
1 Thess. i. 8.
3.
To make or convey a certain impression, or to have a certain import, when heard; hence, to seem; to appear;
as, this reproof
sounds
harsh; the story
sounds
like an invention
.
Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear
Things that do
sound
so fair?
Shakespeare
To sound in
or
To sound into
,
to tend to; to partake of the nature of; to be consonant with.
[Obs., except in the phrase To sound in damages, below.]

Soun[d]ing in
moral virtue was his speech.
Chaucer.
–
To sound in damages
(Law)
,
to have the essential quality of damages. This is said of an action brought, not for the recovery of a specific thing, as replevin, etc., but for damages only, as trespass, and the like.

Sound

,
Verb.
T.
1.
To cause to make a noise; to play on;
as, to
sound
a trumpet or a horn; to
sound
an alarm
.
A bagpipe well could he play and
soun
[d].
Chaucer.
2.
To cause to exit as a sound;
as, to
sound
a note with the voice, or on an instrument
.
3.
To order, direct, indicate, or proclain by a sound, or sounds; to give a signal for by a certain sound;
as, to
sound
a retreat; to
sound
a parley
.
The clock
sounded
the hour of noon.
G. H. Lewes.
4.
To celebrate or honor by sounds; to cause to be reported; to publish or proclaim;
as, to
sound
the praises of fame of a great man or a great exploit
.
5.
To examine the condition of (anything) by causing the same to emit sounds and noting their character;
as, to
sound
a piece of timber; to
sound
a vase; to
sound
the lungs of a patient
.
6.
To signify; to import; to denote.
[Obs.]
Milton.
Soun[d]ing
alway the increase of his winning.
Chaucer.

Webster 1828 Edition

Sound

SOUND

,
Adj.
[L. sanus.]
1.
Entire; unbroken; not shaky, split or defective; as sound timber.
2.
Undecayed; whole; perfect, or not defective; as sound fruit; a sound apple or melon.
3.
Unbroken; not bruised or defective; not lacerated or decayed; as a sound limb.
4.
Not carious; not decaying; as a sound tooth.
5.
Not broken or decayed; not defective; as a sound ship.
6.
Whole; entire; unhurt; unmutilated; as a sound body.
7.
Healthy; not diseased; not being in a morbid state; having all the organs complete and in perfect action; as a sound body; sound health; a sound constitution; a sound man; a sound horse.
8.
Founded in truth; firm; strong; valid; solid; that cannot be overthrown or refuted; as sound reasoning; a sound argument; a sound objection; sound doctrine; sound principles.
9.
Right; correct; well founded; free form error; orthodox. II Tim 1. Let my heart be sound in thy statutes. Ps. 119.
10.
Heavy; laid on with force; as sound strokes; a sound beating.
11.
Founded in right and law; legal; valid; not defective; that cannot be overthrown; as a sound title to land; sound justice.
12.
Fast; profound; undisturbed; as sound sleep.
13.
Perfect, as intellect; not broken or defective; not enfeebled by age or accident; not wild or wandering; not deranged; as a sound mind; a sound understanding or reason.

SOUND

,
adv.
Soundly; heartily. So sound he slept that nought might him awake.

SOUND

,
Noun.
The air bladder of a fish.

Definition 2024

Sound

Sound

See also: sound

English

Proper noun

the Sound

  1. The strait that separates Zealand (an island of Denmark) from Scania (part of Sweden); also sometimes called by the Danish name, Øresund.

Translations

Saterland Frisian

Etymology

From Old Frisian sand, from Proto-Germanic *samdaz

Noun

Sound m

  1. sand

sound

sound

See also: Sound

English

Alternative forms

  • soune (obsolete), sowne (obsolete)

Adjective

sound ‎(comparative sounder, superlative soundest)

  1. Healthy.
    He was safe and sound.
    In horse management a sound horse is one with no health problems that might affect its suitability for its intended work.
    • 1842 May 30, “Roscorla v. Thomas”, in Montagu[e] Chambers, editor, The Law Journal Reports for the Year 1842, volume XX (New Series – volume XI, part II), London: E. B. Ince, 5 Quality Court, Chancery Lane, OCLC 124015025, pages 214–215:
      [O]n the 29th of September 1840, in consideration that the plaintiff, at the request of the defendant, had bought of the defendant a certain horse, at a certain price, to wit, 30l., the defendant promised plaintiff that the horse did not exceed five years off, and that it was sound in wind and limb, perfect in vision, and free from vice; […]
  2. Complete, solid, or secure.
    Fred assured me the floorboards were sound.
    • Chapman
      The brasswork here, how rich it is in beams, / And how, besides, it makes the whole house sound.
  3. (mathematics, logic) Having the property of soundness.
    • 1992, Rudolf M. Schuster, The Hepaticae and Anthocerotae of North America: East of the Hundredth Meridian, volume V, page vii
      With fresh material, taxonomic conclusions are leavened by recognition that the material examined reflects the site it occupied; a herbarium packet gives one only a small fraction of the data desirable for sound conclusions. Herbarium material does not, indeed, allow one to extrapolate safely: what you see is what you get […]
  4. (Britain, slang) Good.
    "How are you?" - "I'm sound."
    That's a sound track you're playing.
  5. (of sleep) Quiet and deep. Sound asleep means sleeping peacefully, often deeply.
    Her sleep was sound.
  6. Heavy; laid on with force.
    a sound beating
  7. Founded in law; legal; valid; not defective.
    a sound title to land
Hypernyms
Derived terms
Translations

Adverb

sound ‎(comparative more sound, superlative most sound)

  1. Soundly.
    • Spenser
      So sound he slept that naught might him awake.

Interjection

sound

  1. (Britain, slang) Yes; used to show agreement or understanding, generally without much enthusiasm.
    "I found my jacket." - "Sound."

Etymology 2

A drum produces sound via a vibrating membrane.

Noun

sound ‎(plural sounds)

  1. A sensation perceived by the ear caused by the vibration of air or some other medium.
    He turned when he heard the sound of footsteps behind him.  Nobody made a sound.‎
    • John Milton (1608-1674)
      The warlike sound / Of trumpets loud and clarions.
  2. A vibration capable of causing such sensations.
    • 1906, Stanley J[ohn] Weyman, chapter I, in Chippinge Borough, New York, N.Y.: McClure, Phillips & Co., OCLC 580270828:
      It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. […]. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts.
  3. (music) A distinctive style and sonority of a particular musician, orchestra etc
  4. Noise without meaning; empty noise.
    • John Locke (1632-1705)
      Sense and not sound […] must be the principle.
Synonyms
  • See also Wikisaurus:sound
Translations
See also

Verb

sound ‎(third-person singular simple present sounds, present participle sounding, simple past and past participle sounded)

  1. (intransitive) To produce a sound.
    When the horn sounds, take cover.
  2. (copulative) To convey an impression by one's sound.
    He sounded good when we last spoke.
    That story sounds like a pack of lies!
    • (Can we date this quote?) Shakespeare
      How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues!
  3. (intransitive) To be conveyed in sound; to be spread or published; to convey intelligence by sound.
    • (Can we date this quote?) Bible, 1 Thessalonians i. 8
      From you sounded out the word of the Lord.
  4. (intransitive, obsolete) To resound.
  5. (intransitive, law, often with in) To arise or to be recognizable as arising in or from a particular area of law.
    • 1999, Supreme Court of the United States, City of Monterey v. Del Monte Dunes at Montery, Ltd. et al.:
      [T]here can be no doubt that claims brought pursuant to § 1983 sound in tort.
  6. (transitive) To cause to produce a sound.
    He sounds the instrument.
  7. (transitive, phonetics, of a vowel or consonant) To pronounce.
    The "e" in "house" isn't sounded.
Synonyms
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 3

From Middle English sound, sund, from Old English sund ‎(“the power, capacity, or act of swimming; swimming; sea; ocean; water; sound; strait; channel”), from Proto-Germanic *sundą ‎(“swimming; sound”), from Proto-Indo-European *swem- ‎(“swimming; sea”). Cognate with Dutch sond ‎(“sound; strait”), Danish sund ‎(“sound; strait; channel”), Swedish sund ‎(“sound; strait; channel”), Icelandic sund ‎(“sound; strait; channel”). Related to swim.

Noun

sound ‎(plural sounds)

  1. (geography) A long narrow inlet, or a strait between the mainland and an island; also, a strait connecting two seas, or connecting a sea or lake with the ocean.
    Puget Sound; Owen Sound
    • Camden
      The Sound of Denmark, where ships pay toll.
  2. The air bladder of a fish.
    Cod sounds are an esteemed article of food.
  3. A cuttlefish.
    (Can we find and add a quotation of Ainsworth to this entry?)
Derived terms
Translations

Etymology 4

From Middle English sounden, from Old French sonder, from sonde ‎(“sounding line”) of Germanic origin, compare Old English sundgyrd ‎(“a sounding rod”), sundline ‎(“a sounding line”), Old English sund ‎(“water", "sea”). More at Etymology 3 above

Verb

sound ‎(third-person singular simple present sounds, present participle sounding, simple past and past participle sounded)

  1. (intransitive) Dive downwards, used of a whale.
    The whale sounded and eight hundred feet of heavy line streaked out of the line tub before he ended his dive.
  2. To ascertain, or try to ascertain, the thoughts, motives, and purposes of (a person); to examine; to try; to test; to probe.
    When I sounded him, he appeared to favor the proposed deal.
    • Dryden
      I was in jest, / And by that offer meant to sound your breast.
    • Addison
      I've sounded my Numidians man by man.
  3. test; ascertain the depth of water with a sounding line or other device.
    Mariners on sailing ships would sound the depth of the water with a weighted rope.
  4. (medicine) To examine with the instrument called a sound or sonde, or by auscultation or percussion.
    to sound a patient, or the bladder or urethra

Noun

sound ‎(plural sounds)

  1. (medicine) An instrument for probing or dilating; a sonde.
Translations

Noun

sound ‎(plural sounds)

  1. A long, thin probe for sounding body cavities or canals such as the urethra.
Translations

Statistics

Most common English words before 1923: clear · pretty · except · #513: sound · didn't · natural · laid

Italian

Etymology

Borrowing from English sound.

Noun

sound m ‎(invariable)

  1. (music) sound (distinctive style and sonority)

Etymology

From the common noun sound ‎(“strait, inlet”).

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