sounding board

See synonyms for sounding board on Thesaurus.com
noun
  1. a thin, resonant plate of wood forming part of a musical instrument, and so placed as to enhance the power and quality of the tone.

  2. a structure over or behind and above a speaker, orchestra, etc., to reflect the sound toward the audience.

  1. a board used in floors, partitions, etc., for deadening sound.

  2. a person or persons whose reactions serve as a measure of the effectiveness of the methods, ideas, etc., put forth.

  3. a person or group that propagates ideas, opinions, etc.: He was more of a sounding board than a novelist.

Origin of sounding board

1
First recorded in 1760–70

Words Nearby sounding board

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

How to use sounding board in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for sounding board

sounding board

noun
  1. Also called: soundboard a thin wooden board in a piano or comprising the upper surface of a resonating chamber in a violin, cello, etc, serving to amplify the vibrations produced by the strings passing across it: See also belly (def. 6)

  2. Also called: soundboard a thin screen suspended over a pulpit, stage, etc, to reflect sound towards an audience

  1. a person, group, experiment, etc, used to test a new idea, policy, etc, for acceptance or applicability

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