The sounding of a bell or a horn is the act of causing it to make a sound.
There were 15 minutes between the first air raid alert and the sounding of the all-clearsignal.
2. countable noun [usually plural]
If you take soundings, you try to find out people's opinions on a subject.
She will take soundings of the people's wishes before deciding on a course of action. [+ of]
-sounding
(-saʊndɪŋ)
1. combining form
-sounding combines with adjectives to indicate a quality that a word, phrase, or name seems to have.
Many literary academics simply parrot a set of impressive-sounding phrases.
...faraway places with strange-sounding names.
2. See also high-sounding
sounding in British English1
(ˈsaʊndɪŋ)
adjective
1.
resounding; resonant
2.
having an imposing sound and little content; pompous
sounding phrases
Derived forms
soundingly (ˈsoundingly)
adverb
sounding in British English2
(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. on soundings
6. off soundings
sounding in American English1
(ˈsaʊndɪŋ)
adjective
1.
making or giving forth sound
2.
resonant; sonorous
3.
high-sounding; bombastic
sounding in American English2
(ˈsaʊndɪŋ)
noun
1.
a.
the act of measuring the depth or examining the bottom of a body of water, etc. withor as with a weighted line
b.
depth so measured
c. [pl.]
a place, usually less than 100 fathoms (c. 180 m) in depth, where a sounding line will touch bottom
2.
a.
an examination of the atmosphere at or to a given height, as with a radiosonde
b.
a probe of space, as with a rocket
3. [pl.]
measurements learned or data acquired by sounding
4. [often pl.]
an exploratory sampling, as of public opinion
Examples of 'sounding' in a sentence
sounding
We have a selection panel and we would take soundings from the leader of the team.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
Slightly got a dozen for looking perplexed when told to take soundings.
J.M. Barrie Peter Pan (1911)
Others are less enamoured, judging by soundings taken last week.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
I've taken soundings from lawyers.
The Sun (2016)
After a week or so of sub-zero temperatures, soundings would be taken to check the thickness of the ice.
Gavin Weightman THE FROZEN WATER TRADE (2002)
A source said that it would'take soundings from investors over the weekend '.
Times, Sunday Times (2014)
All related terms of 'sounding'
sound
A sound is something that you hear.
big-sounding
meant to be impressive in scale
echo sounding
the determining of depth of water by means of a device ( echo sounder ) that measures the time required for a sound wave to be reflected from the bottom : a similar process ( echo ranging ) is used to measure the distance to an underwater object
high-sounding
You can use high-sounding to describe language and ideas which seem very grand and important , especially when you think they are not really important.
odd-sounding
sounding or seeming strange or unusual
sounding lead
a lead weight, usually conical and having a depression in the base for a dab of grease so that, when dropped to the bottom on a sounding line, a sample of sand, gravel , etc, can be retrieved
sounding line
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
queer-sounding
that sounds odd or strange
sounding board
If you use someone as a sounding board , you discuss your ideas with them in order to get another opinion .
re-sound
to sound or cause to sound again
sound off
If someone sounds off , they express their opinions strongly and rather rudely without being asked .
sound out
If you sound someone out , you question them in order to find out what their opinion is about something.