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sough

1
[ sou, suhf ]
/ saʊ, sʌf /
SEE SYNONYMS FOR sough ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object)

to make a rushing, rustling, or murmuring sound: the wind soughing in the meadow.
Scot. and North England. to speak, especially to preach, in a whining, singsong voice.

noun

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

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Origin of sough

1
before 900; (v.) Middle English swoghen,Old English swōgan to make a noise; cognate with Old Saxon swōgan,Old English swēgan,Gothic -swōgjan; (noun) Middle English swow,swo(u)gh, derivative of the v.

OTHER WORDS FROM sough

sough·ful·ly, adverbsoughless, adjective

Words nearby sough

souchong, Soudan, souffle, Soufflot, Soufrière, sough, sought, sought-after, souk, soukous, soul

Definition for sough (2 of 2)

sough2
[ suhf, sou ]
/ sʌf, saʊ /
British

noun

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

verb (used with object)

to drain (land or a mine) by building drainage ditches or the like.
Also especially Scot., sugh.

Origin of sough

2
1250–1300; Middle English sogh, sohn< ?; compare Dutch (dial.) zoeg little ditch
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Words related to sough

sigh, burble, ripple, utter, verbalize, mumble, gurgle, purr, growl, vocalize, tinkle, whisper, moan, babble, hum, stutter, mutter, rumble, trickle, stammer

Example sentences from the Web for sough

British Dictionary definitions for sough (1 of 2)

sough1
/ (saʊ) /

verb

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

noun

a soft continuous murmuring sound

Word Origin for sough

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

British Dictionary definitions for sough (2 of 2)

sough2
/ (sʌf) /

noun

Northern English dialect a sewer or drain or an outlet channel

Word Origin for sough

of obscure origin
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