sounding line

American  

noun

1. a line weighted with a lead or plummet sounding lead and bearing marks to show the length paid out, used for sounding, as at sea.

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sounding line British  

noun

1. a line marked off to indicate its length and having a sounding lead at one end. It is dropped over the side of a vessel to determine the depth of the water

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Etymology

Origin of sounding line

Middle English word dating back to 1300–50

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

sounding line

Then we've got to use a sounding line to find out in which direction the hull of the sunken derelict lies.

From The Submarine Boys' Lightning Cruise The Young Kings of the Deep by Victor G. Durham

Creature so heavenly fair, May any mortal genius dare, Or less than tongue divine, To praise in lofty, rare, and sounding line?

From The Exemplary Novels of Cervantes by Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra

"First time I ever wished I was a Dutchman!" swore Joe Byng, coiling up his sounding line.

From Told in the East by Talbot Mundy

Earth has no sounding line to fathom the depths of a mother's heart.

From Ernest Linwood or, The Inner Life of the Author by Caroline Lee Hentz

In a moment more young Somers was in the conning tower, and Jack, sounding line in hand, was out on the platform deck, where Lieutenant Danvers followed him.

From The Submarine Boys' Lightning Cruise The Young Kings of the Deep by Victor G. Durham