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sound

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Sound is vibration in air and water that stimulate the nerves inside the ears to create the sensation of hearing.

(noun)

An example of sound is music.
An example of sound is voices.

Sound is defined as to have a particular tone or seem a certain way.

(verb)

An example of sound is someone's voice being deep.
An example of sound is someone's voice seeming scared.

The definition of sound is someone or something that is in good condition.

(adjective)

An example of sound is a well made chair.

The definition of a sound is a wide channel or strait linking two large bodies of water.

(noun)

An example of sound is the English Channel.

See sound in Webster's New World College Dictionary

noun

1. vibrations in air, water, etc. that stimulate the auditory nerves and produce the sensation of hearing: although the speed of sound varies considerably, the standard is c. 331 meters per second (c. 740 mph), which is the speed in dry air at STP
2. the auditory sensation produced by such vibrations
1. any auditory effect that is distinctive or characteristic of its source; identifiable noise, tone, vocal utterance, etc.: the sound of a violin, a speech sound
2. such effects as transmitted by or recorded for radio, TV, films, or on phonograph records
3. the volume or quality of transmitted or recorded sound
the distance within which a given sound may be heard; earshot: within sound of the bells
the mental impression produced by the way something is worded; tenor; drift: the sound of his report
meaningless noise; racket
Archaic
1. report; rumor
2. meaning; significance

Origin: < ME soun (+ unhistoric -d) < OFr son < L sonus < IE *swonos, a sound, noise < base *swen-, to sound > OE swinsian, to sing, make music

intransitive verb

to make a sound or sounds
to have a particular tone or quality of sound: your voice sounds hoarse
to seem, from the sound or manner of utterance: to sound troubled
to seem to be or appear to be, based on information one has heard: their plan sounds crazy

Origin: ME sounen < OFr soner < L sonare

transitive verb

1. to cause to sound: to sound a gong
2. to produce the sound of: to sound a C on a piano
3. to utter distinctly; articulate: to sound one's r's
to express, signal, indicate, or announce: the clock sounds the hour
to make widely known; proclaim: to sound someone's praises
to examine (the chest) by auscultation or percussion

adjective

free from defect, damage, or decay; whole and in good condition: sound timber
normal and healthy; not weak, diseased, or impaired: a sound body and mind
1. firm and safe; stable; secure: a sound alliance
2. safe and secure financially: a sound bank
based on truth or valid reasoning; accurate, reliable, judicious, sensible, etc.: sound advice
agreeing with established views or beliefs; not heterodox: sound doctrine
thorough, solid, substantial, forceful, etc.: a sound defeat
deep and undisturbed: said of sleep
morally strong; honest, honorable, loyal, etc.
legally valid: a sound title to a property

Origin: ME < OE (ge)sund, akin to Dan sund, Ger (ge)sund < Gmc *swintha-, strong > OE swith

adverb

completely; deeply: sound asleep

Related Forms:

soundly adverb
soundness noun

noun

a wide channel or strait linking two large bodies of water or separating an island from the mainland
a long inlet or arm of the sea
the swim bladder of certain fishes

Origin: ME < OE sund, a swimming, water, strait & ON sund, both < base *swem- > swim

transitive verb

1. to measure the depth or various depths of (water or a body of water), esp. with a weighted line
2. to measure (depth) in this way
3. to investigate or examine (the bottom of the sea, etc.) with a weighted line that brings up adhering particles
4. to probe (the atmosphere or space) so as to gain data
1. to investigate, examine, or try to find out (a person's opinions)
2. to try to find out the opinions or feelings of (a person), as by roundabout questioning: often with out
Med. to examine with a sound, or probe

Origin: ME sounden < MFr sonder < VL subundare, to submerge < L sub, under + unda, a wave: see water

intransitive verb

to sound water or a body of water
to dive suddenly downward through the water: said esp. of whales or large fish
to try to find out something, as by roundabout questioning

noun

Med. a long probe used in examining body cavities

Öresund

See sound in American Heritage Dictionary 4

noun

a. Vibrations transmitted through an elastic solid or a liquid or gas, with frequencies in the approximate range of 20 to 20,000 hertz, capable of being detected by human organs of hearing.
b. Transmitted vibrations of any frequency.
c. The sensation stimulated in the organs of hearing by such vibrations in the air or other medium.
d. Such sensations considered as a group.
A distinctive noise: a hollow sound.
The distance over which something can be heard: within sound of my voice.
Linguistics
a. An articulation made by the vocal apparatus: a vowel sound.
b. The distinctive character of such an articulation: The words bear and bare have the same sound.
A mental impression; an implication: didn't like the sound of the invitation.
Auditory material that is recorded, as for a movie.
Meaningless noise.
Music A distinctive style, as of an orchestra or a singer.
Archaic Rumor; report.

verb sound·ed, sound·ing, sounds

verb, intransitive

a. To make or give forth a sound: The siren sounded.
b. To be given forth as a sound: The fanfare sounded.
To present a particular impression: That argument sounds reasonable.

verb, transitive

To cause to give forth or produce a sound: sounded the gong.
To summon, announce, or signal by a sound: sound a warning.
Linguistics To articulate; pronounce: sound a vowel.
To make known; celebrate: “Nations unborn your mighty names shall sound” (Alexander Pope).
To examine (a body organ or part) by causing to emit sound; auscultate.

Phrasal Verb: sound off To express one's views vigorously: was always sounding off about higher taxes. To count cadence when marching in military formation.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English soun

Origin: , from Old French son

Origin: , from Latin sonus; see swen- in Indo-European roots

adjective sound·er, sound·est

Free from defect, decay, or damage; in good condition.
Free from disease or injury. See Synonyms at healthy.
Having a firm basis; unshakable: a sound foundation.
Financially secure or safe: a sound economy.
a. Based on valid reasoning: a sound observation. See Synonyms at valid.
b. Free from logical flaws: sound reasoning.
c. Logic Of or relating to an argument in which all the premises are true and the conclusion follows from the premises.
Thorough; complete: a sound flogging.
Deep and unbroken; undisturbed: a sound sleep.
Free from moral defect; upright.
Worthy of confidence; trustworthy.
Marked by or showing common sense and good judgment; levelheaded: a sound approach to the problem.
Compatible with an accepted point of view; conservative.
Law Legally valid.

adverb

Thoroughly; deeply: sound asleep.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English gesund

Related Forms:

soundˈly adverb

soundˈness noun

noun

Abbr. Sd.
a. A long, relatively wide body of water, larger than a strait or a channel, connecting larger bodies of water.
b. A long, wide ocean inlet.
The air bladder of a fish.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English

Origin: , from Old English sund, swimming, sea

verb sound·ed, sound·ing, sounds

verb, transitive

To measure the depth of (water), especially by means of a weighted line; fathom.
To try to learn the attitudes or opinions of: sounded out her feelings.
To probe (a body cavity) with a sound.

verb, intransitive

To measure depth.
To dive swiftly downward. Used of a whale or fish.
To look into a possibility; investigate.

noun

An instrument used to examine or explore body cavities, as for foreign bodies or other abnormalities, or to dilate strictures in them.

Origin:

Origin: Middle English sounden

Origin: , from Old French sonder

Origin: , from sonde, sounding line

Origin: , probably of Germanic origin

Related Forms:

soundˈa·ble adjective

See sound in Ologies

Sound

acoustics

1. Physics. the study of sound and sound waves.

2. the qualities or characteristics of a space, as an auditorium, that deter-mine the audibility and fidelity of sounds in it. —acoustician, n. —acoustic, adj.

anacamptics

Obsolete, the study of the reflection of sounds. —anacamptic, adj.

assonance

likeness or approximate similarity in sound.

bombilation

Rare. a rumbling sound.

bombination

Rare. a buzzing or humming sound.

cacophony

1. a harshness of sound.

2. discordant noise. —cacophonic, cacophonous, adj.

crepitation

a crackling sound.

diacoustics

Rare. the science of sounds refracted through various media.

echolocation

the fixing of the position of an object by transmitting a signal and measuring the time required for it to bounce back, typically done by radar or sonar and by bats.

echometry

the measurement of the duration of and intervals between sounds. —echometer, n.

euphony

1. an agreeableness in sounds; a pleasantness to the ear; harmoniousness.

2. Phonetics. a harmoniousness in speech sounds, especially in word choices emphasizing various patterns of consonants or vowels. —euphonic, euphonical, euphonious, adj.

harmonometer

an instrument for measuring the relationships between sounds.

homonymy

the state or quality of sounding identical, whether spelled identically or not, as bear and bare.

homophony

the state or condition of a letter, word, or symbol having the same sound as another but a different meaning, regardless of sameness or difference in spelling, as choirlquire. —homophonic, homophonous, adj.

kaleidophon, kaleidophone

an instrument for the visual representation of sound waves.

monotony

dullness or uniformity, similar to that experienced from a repeated sound. —monotonous, adj.

onomatopoeia

the state or condition of a word formed to imitate the sound of its intended meaning, as rustle. —onomatopoeic, onomatopoetic, onoma-topoietic, onomatopoeial, adj.

oxyphonia

an unusually sharp quality or pitch of sound or voice.

phonology

1. the study of speech sounds, from either or both the phonetic and phonemic viewpoints.

2. the phonetic and phonemic systems of a language. See also linguistics. —phonologist, n. —phonological, adj.

phonomania

an abnormal love of noise.

phonophobia

an abnormal f ear of noise.

plangency

the condition or quality of producing a deep or loud sound. —plangent, adj.

psychoacoustics

the study of the relationship between sounds and their perception by the listener, especially with regard to how the perception depends on the physical characteristics of the sound rather than on the mind of the listener. —psychoacoustician, n. —psychoacoustic, adj.

raucity

the state or quality of sounding hoarse or harsh. —raucous, adj.

sibilancy, sibilance

the state or quality of a hissing sound. —sibilant, adj.

stridulation

1. the producing of a shrill, grating noise by chafing a serrated part of the body against a hard part.

2. the noise so produced. —stridulator, n. —stridulant, stridulatory, adj.

susurration

1. the act or process of whispering.

2. a whispering sound or soft rustling. Also susurrus. —susurrant, susurrous, adj.

tautophony

repetition of the same sound. —tautophonic, tautophonical, adj.