sounding

¹ American  

[soun-ding] / ˈsaʊn dɪŋ /

adjective

Archaic.

1. emitting or producing a sound or sounds.

2. resounding or sonorous.

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

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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.

sounding ² American  

[soun-ding] / ˈsaʊn dɪŋ /

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,

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

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

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

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idioms

1. off soundings, in waters beyond the 100-fathom (180-meter) depth.

2. on soundings, in waters less than 100 fathoms (180 meters) deep, so that the lead can be used.

sounding ¹ British  

/ 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

3. (often plural) measurements taken by sounding

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

5. in waters less than 100 fathoms in depth

6. in waters more than 100 fathoms in depth

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sounding ² British  

/ ˈsaʊndɪŋ /

adjective

1. resounding; resonant

2. having an imposing sound and little content; pompous

   sounding phrases

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Other Word Forms

• soundingly adverb
• soundingness noun

Etymology

Origin of sounding¹

First recorded in 1275–1325; Middle English; sound ¹ + -ing ²

Origin of sounding²

First recorded 1300–50; Middle English; sound ³, -ing ¹

Example Sentences

The researchers interpret this as a sign that polished language may no longer reliably reflect scientific value, and that reviewers may be rejecting some of these papers despite strong sounding writing.

From Science Daily

The office serves as the people’s financial guardian, reviewing contracts, scrutinizing expenditures and sounding the alarm when the numbers stop adding up.

From The Wall Street Journal

Then all of a sudden, this person had gone and worked with someone else, and things were sounding similar.

From Los Angeles Times

But as he answered questions, Powell struck many investors as sounding more concerned about the employment situation than inflation, at one point saying that the jobs market faces “significant downside risks.”

From The Wall Street Journal

The words are nice enough, but they come out sounding rude.

From Literature

Related Words

• analysis
• case
• examination
• hearing
• inquiry
• inspection
• probe
• research
• review
• scrutiny
• search
• study
• survey