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sough - 8 dictionary results

sough

1  [sou, suhf]
Use sough in a Sentence
–verb (used without object)
1. to make a rushing, rustling, or murmuring sound: the wind soughing in the meadow.
2. Scot. and North England. to speak, esp. to preach, in a whining, singsong voice.
–noun
3. a sighing, rustling, or murmuring sound.
4. Scot. and North England.
a. a sigh or deep breath.
b. a whining, singsong manner of speaking.
c. a rumor; unconfirmed report.
Origin:
bef. 900; (v.) ME swoghen, OE swōgan to make a noise; c. OS swōgan, OE swēgan, Goth -swōgjan; (n.) ME swow, swo(u)gh, deriv. of the v.

Related forms:
sough⋅ful⋅ly, adverb
soughless, adjective

sough

2  [suhf, sou] British
–noun
1. drain; drainage ditch, gutter, or sewer.
2. a swampy or marshy area.
–verb (used with object)
3. to drain (land or a mine) by building drainage ditches or the like.
Also, especially Scot., sugh.

Origin:
1250–1300; ME sogh, sohn < ?; cf. D (dial.) zoeg little ditch
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To sough
sough   (sou, sŭf)   
intr.v.   soughed, sough·ing, soughs
To make a soft murmuring or rustling sound.
n.  A soft murmuring or rustling sound, as of the wind or a gentle surf.

[Middle English swowen, soughen, from Old English swōgan.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
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Sough

Sough\, n. A sow. [Obs.] --Chaucer.

Sough

Sough\, n. [Etymol. uncertain.] A small drain; an adit. [Prov. Eng.] --W. M. Buchanan.

Sough

Sough\ (?; 277), n. [Cf. Icel. s?gr (in comp.) a rushing sound, or OE. swough, swogh, a sound, AS. sw?gan to rustle. Cf. Surf, Swoon, v. i.]

1. The sound produced by soughing; a hollow murmur or roaring.

The whispering leaves or solemn sough of the forest. --W. Howitt.

2. Hence, a vague rumor or flying report. [Scot.]

3. A cant or whining mode of speaking, especially in preaching or praying. [Scot.] --Jamieson.

Sough

Sough\, v. i. To whistle or sigh, as the wind.
Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary, © 1996, 1998 MICRA, Inc.
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sough  (v.)
"to make a moaning or murmuring sound," O.E. swogan, from P.Gmc. *swoganan (cf. O.S. swogan "to rustle," Goth. gaswogjan "to sigh"), from PIE imitative base *(s)wagh- (cf. Gk. echo). The noun is c.1381, from the verb.
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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