| 1. | a thin, resonant plate of wood forming part of a musical instrument, and so placed as to enhance the power and quality of the tone. |
| 2. | a structure over or behind and above a speaker, orchestra, etc., to reflect the sound toward the audience. |
| 3. | a board used in floors, partitions, etc., for deadening sound. |
| 4. | a person or persons whose reactions serve as a measure of the effectiveness of the methods, ideas, etc., put forth. |
| 5. | a person or group that propagates ideas, opinions, etc.: He was more of a sounding board than a novelist. |
sound·board  (sound'bôrd', -bōrd')  n. See sounding board. |
| sounding board n.
|
soundboard
a thin plate of wood or a stretched membrane lying directly under the strings of a stringed musical instrument. It vibrates in response to the vibrations of the strings (transmitted to it by the bridge, an elastic piece of wood held under pressure or tension between the strings and soundboard), amplifying the faint sound produced by the string alone.
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