2. Healthy; not diseased; not being in a morbid state; --
said of body or mind; as, a sound body; a sound
constitution; a sound understanding.
The brasswork here, how rich it is in beams, And
how, besides, it makes the whole house sound.
--Chapman.
4. Free from error; correct; right; honest; true; faithful;
orthodox; -- said of persons; as, a sound lawyer; a sound
thinker.
Do not I know you a favorer Of this new seat? Ye are
nor sound. --Shak.
5. Founded in truth or right; supported by justice; not to be
overthrown on refuted; not fallacious; as, sound argument
or reasoning; a sound objection; sound doctrine; sound
principles.
Hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast
heard of me. --2 Tim. i.
13.
6. heavy; laid on with force; as, a sound beating.
7. Undisturbed; deep; profound; as, sound sleep.
8. Founded in law; legal; valid; not defective; as, a sound
title to land.
Note: Sound is sometimes used in the formation of
self-explaining compounds; as, sound-headed,
sound-hearted, sound-timbered, etc.
{Sound currency} (Com.), a currency whose actual value is the
same as its nominal value; a currency which does not
deteriorate or depreciate or fluctuate in comparision with
the standard of values.
I sound as a shipman soundeth in the sea with his
plummet to know the depth of sea. --Palsgrave.
So sound he slept that naught might him awake.
--Spenser.
The Sound of Denmark, where ships pay toll. --Camden.
{Sound dues}, tolls formerly imposed by Denmark on vessels
passing through the Baltic Sound.
The warlike sound Of trumpets loud and clarions.
--Milton.
2. The occasion of sound; the impulse or vibration which
would occasion sound to a percipient if present with
unimpaired; hence, the theory of vibrations in elastic
media such cause sound; as, a treatise on sound.
Note: In this sense, sounds are spoken of as audible and
inaudible.
3. Noise without signification; empty noise; noise and
nothing else.
Sense and not sound . . . must be the principle.
--Locke.
{Sound boarding}, boards for holding pugging, placed in
partitions of under floors in order to deaden sounds.
{Sound bow}, in a series of transverse sections of a bell,
that segment against which the clapper strikes, being the
part which is most efficacious in producing the sound. See
Illust. of {Bell}.
{Sound post}. (Mus.) See {Sounding post}, under {Sounding}.
2. Fig.: To ascertain, or try to ascertain, the thoughts,
motives, and purposes of (a person); to examine; to try;
to test; to probe.
I was in jest, And by that offer meant to sound your
breast. --Dryden.
I've sounded my Numidians man by man. --Addison.
3. (Med.) To explore, as the bladder or urethra, with a
sound; to examine with a sound; also, to examine by
auscultation or percussion; as, to sound a patient.
How silver-sweet sound lovers' tongues! --Shak.
2. To be conveyed in sound; to be spread or published; to
convey intelligence by sound.
From you sounded out the word of the Lord. --1
Thess. i. 8.
3. To make or convey a certain impression, or to have a
certain import, when heard; hence, to seem; to appear; as,
this reproof sounds harsh; the story sounds like an
invention.
Good sir, why do you start, and seem to fear Things
that do sound so fair? --Shak.
{To sound in} or {into}, to tend to; to partake of the nature
of; to be consonant with. [Obs., except in the phrase To
sound in damages, below.]
Soun[d]ing in moral virtue was his speech.
--Chaucer.
{To sound in damages} (Law), to have the essential quality of
damages. This is said of an action brought, not for the
recovery of a specific thing, as replevin, etc., but for
damages only, as trespass, and the like.
A bagpipe well could he play and soun[d]. --Chaucer.
2. To cause to exit as a sound; as, to sound a note with the
voice, or on an instrument.
3. To order, direct, indicate, or proclain by a sound, or
sounds; to give a signal for by a certain sound; as, to
sound a retreat; to sound a parley.
The clock sounded the hour of noon. --G. H. Lewes.
4. To celebrate or honor by sounds; to cause to be reported;
to publish or proclaim; as, to sound the praises of fame
of a great man or a great exploit.
5. To examine the condition of (anything) by causing the same
to emit sounds and noting their character; as, to sound a
piece of timber; to sound a vase; to sound the lungs of a
patient.
6. To signify; to import; to denote. [Obs.] --Milton.
Soun[d]ing alway the increase of his winning.
--Chaucer.