sound

Universal Words noun, verb, adjective, adverb noun sth you hear 1 [C] something that you can hear: a high / low sound * a clicking / buzzing / scratching sound * the different sounds and smells of the forest * She heard the sound of footsteps outside. * He crept into the house trying not to make a sound. 2 [U] continuous rapid movements, (called VIBRATIONS) that travel through air or water and can be heard when they reach a person's or an animal's ear: Sound travels more slowly than light. -< NOISE from television / radio 3 [U] what you can hear coming from a television, radio, etc., or as part of a film/movie: Could you turn the sound down? * The sound quality of the tapes was excellent. * a sound engineer of musicians 4 [C,U] the effect that is produced by the music of a particular singer or group of musicians: I like their sound. impression 5 [sing.] the ~ of sth the idea or impression that you get of sb/sth from what sb says or what you read: They had a wonderful time by the sound of it. * From the sound of things you were lucky to find him. * They're consulting a lawyer? I don't like the sound of that. water 6 [C] (often in place names) a narrow passage of water that joins two larger areas of water SYNSTRAIT: Plymouth Sound IDIOMS like, etc. the sound of your own voice (disapproving) to like talking a lot or too much, usually without wanting to listen to other people: She's much too fond of the sound of her own voice. within (the) sound of sth (BrE) near enough to be able to hear sth: a house within sound of the sea verb (not usually used in the progressive tenses) give impression 1 linking verb to give a particular impression when heard or read about: [V-ADJ] His voice sounded strange on the phone. * She didn't sound surprised when I told her the news. * His explanation sounds reasonable to me. * Leo made it sound so easy. But it wasn't. * He doesn't sound French-and he doesn't look it. * [V-N] She sounds just the person we need for the job. * [V] You sounded just like your father when you said that. * I hope I don't sound as if / as though I'm criticizing you. HELPNOTE In spoken English people often use like instead of as if or as though, especially in AmE, but this is considered incorrect in written BrE. -sounding 2 (in adjectives) giving the impression of having a particular sound: an Italian-sounding name * fine-sounding words produce sound 3 to produce a sound; to make sth such as a musical instrument produce a sound: [V] The bell sounded for the end of the class. * [VN] Passing motorists sounded their horns in support. give warning / signal 4 [VN] to give a signal such as a warning by making a sound: When I saw the smoke, I tried to sound the alarm. * (figurative) Scientists have sounded a note of caution on the technique. * Leaving him out of the team may sound the death knell for our chances of winning (= signal the end of our chances). pronounce 5 [VN] (technical) to pronounce sth: You don't sound the 'b' in the word comb. measure depth 6 [VN, V] (technical) to measure the depth of the sea or a lake by using a line with a weight attached, or an electronic instrument IDIOMS see NOTEn., SUSPICIOUSLY PHRASALVERBS sound off (about sth) (informal, disapproving) to express your opinions loudly or in an aggressive way: He's always sounding off about falling standards in education. sound sb>-<out (about / on sth)