verb
1. speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way
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She pronounces French words in a funny way
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I cannot say `zip wire'
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Can the child sound out this complicated word?
• Syn: ↑pronounce, ↑articulate, ↑enounce, ↑enunciate, ↑say
• Derivationally related forms: ↑enunciation (for: ↑enunciate), ↑articulative (for: ↑articulate), ↑articulatory (for: ↑articulate), ↑articulation (for: ↑articulate), ↑articulator (for: ↑articulate), ↑pronunciation (for: ↑pronounce)
• Hyponyms:
↑twang, ↑devoice, ↑raise, ↑lilt, ↑palatalize, ↑palatalise, ↑nasalize, ↑nasalise, ↑mispronounce, ↑misspeak, ↑aspirate, ↑voice, ↑sound, ↑vocalize, ↑vocalise, ↑retroflex, ↑subvocalize, ↑subvocalise, ↑syllabize, ↑syllabise, ↑drawl, ↑round, ↑labialize, ↑labialise, ↑lisp, ↑stress, ↑accent, ↑accentuate, ↑vowelize, ↑vowelise, ↑click, ↑trill, ↑sibilate, ↑flap, ↑explode, ↑roll
• Verb Frames:
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Somebody ——s something
2. try to learn someone's opinions and intentions
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I have to sound out the new professor
• Verb Frames:
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Somebody ——s somebody
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[verb]
probe, canvass, pump, question, see how the land lies
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ˌsound ˈout [transitive] [present tense I/you/we/they sound out he/she/it sounds out present participle sounding out past tense sounded out past participle sounded out] phrasal verb
to try to find out someone’s opinions, ideas, feelings etc by talking to them
Candidates will be sounding out voters during the months before the election.
Main entry: sound
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sound out [phrasal verb]
sound (someone or something) out or sound out (someone or something) : to try to find out the opinions of someone by asking questions
polls that sound out public opinion
• • •
Main Entry: ↑sound
Useful english dictionary. 2012.