sound3

[sound] /saʊnd/
verb (used with object)
1.
to measure or try the depth of (water, a deep hole, etc.) by letting down a lead or plummet at the end of a line, or by some equivalent means.
2.
to measure (depth) in such a manner, as at sea.
3.
to examine or test (the bottom, as of the sea or a deep hole) with a lead that brings up adhering bits of matter.
4.
to examine or investigate; seek to fathom or ascertain:
to sound a person's views.
5.
to seek to elicit the views or sentiments of (a person) by indirect inquiries, suggestive allusions, etc. (often followed by out):
Why not sound him out about working for us?
6.
Surgery. to examine, as the urinary bladder, with a sound.
verb (used without object)
7.
to use the lead and line or some other device for measuring depth, as at sea.
8.
to go down or touch bottom, as a lead.
9.
to plunge downward or dive, as a whale.
10.
to make investigation; seek information, especially by indirect inquiries.
noun
11.
Surgery. a long, slender instrument for sounding or exploring body cavities or canals.
Origin
1300-50; Middle English sounden < Old French sonder to plumb, derivative of sonde sounding line < ?
Related forms
soundable, adjective
British Dictionary definitions for sound out

sound out

verb
1.
(transitive, adverb) to question (someone) in order to discover (opinions, facts, etc)

sound1

/saʊnd/
noun
1.
  1. a periodic disturbance in the pressure or density of a fluid or in the elastic strain of a solid, produced by a vibrating object. It has a velocity in air at sea level at 0°C of 331 metres per second (741 miles per hour) and travels as longitudinal waves
  2. (as modifier): a sound wave
2.
(modifier) of or relating to radio as distinguished from television: sound broadcasting, sound radio
3.
the sensation produced by such a periodic disturbance in the organs of hearing
4.
anything that can be heard
5.
a particular instance, quality, or type of sound: the sound of running water
6.
volume or quality of sound: a radio with poor sound
7.
the area or distance over which something can be heard: to be born within the sound of Big Ben
8.
the impression or implication of something: I don't like the sound of that
9.
(phonetics) the auditory effect produced by a specific articulation or set of related articulations
10.
(often pl) (slang) music, esp rock, jazz, or pop
verb
11.
to cause (something, such as an instrument) to make a sound or (of an instrument, etc) to emit a sound
12.
to announce or be announced by a sound: to sound the alarm
13.
(intransitive) (of a sound) to be heard
14.
(intransitive) to resonate with a certain quality or intensity: to sound loud
15.
(copula) to give the impression of being as specified when read, heard, etc: to sound reasonable
16.
(transitive) to pronounce distinctly or audibly: to sound one's consonants
17.
(law) (intransitive) usually foll by in. to have the essential quality or nature (of): an action sounding in damages
See also sound off
Derived Forms
soundable, adjective
Word Origin
C13: from Old French soner to make a sound, from Latin sonāre, from sonus a sound

sound2

/saʊnd/
adjective
1.
free from damage, injury, decay, etc
2.
firm; solid; substantial: a sound basis
3.
financially safe or stable: a sound investment
4.
showing good judgment or reasoning; sensible; wise: sound advice
5.
valid, logical, or justifiable: a sound argument
6.
holding approved beliefs; ethically correct; upright; honest
7.
(of sleep) deep; peaceful; unbroken
8.
thorough; complete: a sound examination
9.
(Brit, informal) excellent
10.
(law) (of a title, etc) free from defect; legally valid
11.
constituting a valid and justifiable application of correct principles; orthodox: sound theology
12.
(logic)
  1. (of a deductive argument) valid
  2. (of an inductive argument) according with whatever principles ensure the high probability of the truth of the conclusion given the truth of the premises
  3. another word for consistent (sense 5b)
adverb
13.
soundly; deeply: now archaic except when applied to sleep
Derived Forms
soundly, adverb
soundness, noun
Word Origin
Old English sund; related to Old Saxon gisund, Old High German gisunt

sound3

/saʊnd/
verb
1.
to measure the depth of (a well, the sea, etc) by lowering a plumb line, by sonar, etc
2.
to seek to discover (someone's views, etc), as by questioning
3.
(intransitive) (of a whale, etc) to dive downwards swiftly and deeply
4.
(med)
  1. to probe or explore (a bodily cavity or passage) by means of a sound
  2. to examine (a patient) by means of percussion and auscultation
noun
5.
(med) an instrument for insertion into a bodily cavity or passage to dilate strictures, dislodge foreign material, etc
See also sound out
Word Origin
C14: from Old French sonder, from sonde sounding line, probably of Germanic origin; related to Old English sundgyrd sounding pole, Old Norse sund strait, sound4; see swim

sound4

/saʊnd/
noun
1.
a relatively narrow channel between two larger areas of sea or between an island and the mainland
2.
an inlet or deep bay of the sea
3.
the air bladder of a fish
Word Origin
Old English sund swimming, narrow sea; related to Middle Low German sunt strait; see sound³

Sound

/saʊnd/
noun
1.
the Sound, a strait between SW Sweden and Zealand (Denmark), linking the Kattegat with the Baltic: busy shipping lane; spanned by a bridge in 2000. Length of the strait: 113 km (70 miles). Narrowest point: 5 km (3 miles) Danish name Øresund Swedish name Öresund
Word Origin and History for sound out

sound

n.

"noise, what is heard, sensation produced through the ear," late 13c., soun, from Old French son "sound, musical note, voice," from Latin sonus "sound, a noise," from PIE *swon-o-, from root *swen- "to sound" (cf. Sanskrit svanati "it sounds," svanah "sound, tone;" Latin sonare "to sound;" Old Irish senim "the playing of an instrument;" Old English geswin "music, song," swinsian "to sing;" Old Norse svanr, Old English swan "swan," properly "the sounding bird").

The terminal -d was established c.1350-1550 as part of a tendency to add -d- after -n-. First record of sound barrier is from 1939. Sound check is from 1977; sound effects is 1909, originally live accompaniments to silent films.

The experts of Victor ... will ... arrange for the synchronized orchestration and sound effects for this picture, in which airplane battles will have an important part. ["Exhibitor's Herald & Moving Picture World," April 28, 1928]

"narrow channel of water," c.1300, from Old Norse sund "a strait, swimming," or from cognate Old English sund "act of swimming, stretch of water one can swim across, a strait of the sea," both from Proto-Germanic *sundam-, from *swum-to-, suffixed form of Germanic root *swem- "to move, stir, swim" (see swim (v.)).

adj.

"free from special defect or injury," c.1200, from Old English gesund "sound, safe, having the organs and faculties complete and in perfect action," from Proto-Germanic *sunda-, from Germanic root *swen-to- "healthy, strong" (cf. Old Saxon gisund, Old Frisian sund, Dutch gezond, Old High German gisunt, German gesund "healthy," as in the post-sneezing interjection gesundheit; also Old English swið "strong," Gothic swinþs "strong," German geschwind "fast, quick"), with connections in Indo-Iranian and Balto-Slavic. Meaning "right, correct, free from error" is from mid-15c. Meaning "financially solid or safe" is attested from c.1600; of sleep, "undisturbed," from 1540s. Sense of "holding accepted opinions" is from 1520s.

v.

early 13c., sounen "to be audible, produce vibrations affecting the ear," from Old French soner (Modern French sonner) and directly from Latin sonare "to sound" (see sonata). From late 14c. as "cause something (an instrument, etc.) to produce sound." Related: Sounded; sounding.

"fathom, probe, measure the depth of," mid-14c. (implied in sounding), from Old French sonder, from sonde "sounding line," perhaps from the same Germanic source that yielded Old English sund "water, sea" (see sound (n.2)). Barnhart dismisses the old theory that it is from Latin subundare. Figurative use from 1570s.

sound out in Medicine

sound 1 (sound)
n.

  1. Vibrations transmitted through an elastic material or a solid, liquid, or gas, with frequencies in the range of 20 to 20,000 hertz, capable of being detected by human organs of hearing.

  2. Transmitted vibrations of any frequency.

  3. A distinctive noise.

v. sound·ed, sound·ing, sounds
To auscultate.

sound 2
adj.

  1. Free from defect, decay, or damage; in good condition.

  2. Free from disease or injury.

sound 3
n.
An instrument used to examine or explore body cavities, as for foreign bodies or other abnormalities, or to dilate strictures in them. v. sound·ed, sound·ing, sounds
To probe a body cavity with a sound.

sound out in Science
sound 1
  (sound)   

  1. A type of longitudinal wave that originates as the vibration of a medium (such as a person's vocal cords or a guitar string) and travels through gases, liquids, and elastic solids as variations of pressure and density. The loudness of a sound perceived by the ear depends on the amplitude of the sound wave and is measured in decibels, while its pitch depends on its frequency, measured in hertz.

  2. The sensation produced in the organs of hearing by waves of this type. See Note at ultrasound.


sound 2
  (sound)   

  1. A long, wide inlet of the ocean, often parallel to the coast. Long Island Sound, between Long Island and the coast of New England, is an example.

  2. A long body of water, wider than a strait, that connects larger bodies of water.


Slang definitions & phrases for sound out

sound

verb
  1. To taunt or provoke; goad; razz
  2. signify (1950s+ Street gangs)

Idioms and Phrases with sound out

sound out

Seek the views or intentions of, as in We'd better sound out Mom about who's using the station wagon, or Let's sound out the staff before we decide which week we should close for vacation. This expression derives from sound meaning “to measure the depth of water by lowering a line or lead.” It was transferred to other kinds of inquiry in the late 1500s, but out was not added for several centuries.

sound

also see:
safe and sound