Advertisement

View synonyms for sough

sough

1

[ sou, suhf ]

verb (used without object)

  1. to make a rushing, rustling, or murmuring sound:

    the wind soughing in the meadow.

  2. Scot. and North England. to speak, especially to preach, in a whining, singsong voice.


noun

  1. a sighing, rustling, or murmuring sound.
  2. Scot. and North England.
    1. a sigh or deep breath.
    2. a whining, singsong manner of speaking.
    3. a rumor; unconfirmed report.

sough

2

[ suhf, sou ]

noun

  1. a drain, drainage ditch, gutter, or sewer.
  2. a swampy or marshy area; slough.

verb (used with object)

  1. to drain (land or a mine) by building drainage ditches or the like.

sough

1

/ sʌf /

noun

  1. dialect.
    a sewer or drain or an outlet channel
“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


sough

2

/ saʊ /

verb

  1. intr (esp of the wind) to make a characteristic sighing sound
“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

noun

  1. a soft continuous murmuring sound
“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
Discover More

Other Words From

  • soughful·ly adverb
  • soughless adjective
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of sough1

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb swoughen “to throw,” Old English swōgan “to move with sound, make a noise”; cognate with Old Saxon swōgan, Old English swēgan “to move noisily,” Gothic -swōgjan; the noun is derivative of the verb

Origin of sough2

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English sough, sou(e); further origin obscure; compare Dutch dialect zoeg “little ditch”
Discover More

Word History and Origins

Origin of sough1

of obscure origin

Origin of sough2

Old English swōgan to resound; related to Gothic gaswogjan to groan, Lithuanian svageti to sound, Latin vāgīre to lament
Discover More

Example Sentences

A coil of smoke drifted across the room from somewhere above—the sough of the burning made the only background to his words.

The rain had stopped, and a sudden sough of the wind in the bushes sounded as if some animal had strayed there.

Save the dull piping of insects and the sough of the leaves, there was silence everywhere—the sweet restful silence of nature.

With abatement of breath I listened, but heard nothing except the mournful sough of the pines.

An owl was hooting somewhere among the rocks, but no other sound, save the gentle sough of the wind, came to my ears.

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement

Advertisement


Soufrièresought