sooth
- truth, reality, or fact.
- soothing, soft, or sweet.
- true or real.
Origin of sooth
Examples from the Web for sooth
Contemporary Examples
He was elected to sooth the wounds of the Bush era and make clear to Muslims that they had nothing to fear from the US.
Historical Examples
In sooth, I would yet do it, if he would make it up with the housewife.
The Armourer's PrenticesCharlotte M. Yonge
I would come with you, but sooth to say I am stationed here and may not move.
The White CompanyArthur Conan Doyle
In sooth, it is bad for those who fall, but worse for those who bide behind.
The White CompanyArthur Conan Doyle
Tell me, comrade, is it sooth that we shall have another fling at these Frenchmen?
The White CompanyArthur Conan Doyle
Elkanah was unable to conciliate Peninnah, or to sooth Hannah.
Female Scripture Biographies, Vol. IFrancis Augustus Cox
sooth
- truth or reality (esp in the phrase in sooth)
- true or real
- smooth
Word Origin
Word Origin and History for sooth
n.
Old English soð "truth, justice, righteousness, rectitude; reality, certainty," noun use of soð (adj.) "true, genuine, real; just, righteous," originally *sonð-, from Proto-Germanic *santhaz (cf. Old Norse sannr, Old Saxon soth, Old High German sand "true," Gothic sunja "truth").
The group is related to Old English synn "sin" and Latin sontis "guilty" (truth is related to guilt via "being the one;" see sin (v.)), from PIE *es-ont- "being, existence," thus "real, true," from present participle of root *es-, the s-form of the verb "to be" (see be), preserved in Latin sunt "they are" and German sind. Archaic in English, it is the root of modern words for "true" in Swedish (sann) and Danish (sand). In common use until mid-17c., then obsolete until revived as an archaism early 19c. by Scott, etc. Used for Latin pro- in translating compounds into Old English, e.g. soðtacen "prodigy," soðfylgan "prosequi."