sounding

1
[ soun-ding ]
See synonyms for: soundingsoundings on Thesaurus.com

adjectiveArchaic.
  1. emitting or producing a sound or sounds.

  2. resounding or sonorous.

  1. having an imposing sound; high-sounding; pompous.

noun
  1. a verbal contest or confrontation, as among teenage boys or street-gang members, in which the trading of often elaborate insults and invective takes the place of physical violence.

Origin of sounding

1
First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English; sound1 + -ing2

Other words from sounding

  • sound·ing·ly, adverb
  • sound·ing·ness, noun

Words Nearby sounding

Other definitions for sounding (2 of 2)

sounding2
[ soun-ding ]

noun
  1. Often soundings. the act of measuring the depth of an area of water with or as if with a lead and line.

  2. soundings,

    • an area of water that can besounded with an ordinary lead and line, the depth being 100 fathoms (180 meters) or less.

    • the results or measurement obtained by sounding with a lead and line.

  1. Meteorology. any vertical penetration of the atmosphere for scientific measurement, especially a radiosonde observation.

Origin of sounding

2
First recorded 1300–50; Middle English; see origin at sound3, -ing1

Other words from sounding

  • sound·ing·ly, adverb
  • sound·ing·ness, noun

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use sounding in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sounding (1 of 2)

sounding1

/ (ˈsaʊndɪŋ) /


adjective
  1. resounding; resonant

  2. having an imposing sound and little content; pompous: sounding phrases

Derived forms of sounding

  • soundingly, adverb

British Dictionary definitions for sounding (2 of 2)

sounding2

/ (ˈsaʊndɪŋ) /


noun
  1. (sometimes plural) the act or process of measuring depth of water or examining the bottom of a river, lake, etc, as with a sounding line

  2. an observation or measurement of atmospheric conditions, as made using a radiosonde or rocketsonde

  1. (often plural) measurements taken by sounding

  2. (plural) a place where a sounding line will reach the bottom, esp less than 100 fathoms in depth

  3. on soundings in waters less than 100 fathoms in depth

  4. off soundings in waters more than 100 fathoms in depth

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012