/saʊ/, /sʌf/
OriginFrom Middle English *sough, swough, swogh, from Middle English swoȝen, swowen, from Old English swōgan (“to make a sound; move with noise; rush; roar”), from Proto-West Germanic *swōgan, from Proto-Germanic *swōganą from Proto-Indo-European *sweh₂gʰ-, same source as English echo (via Ancient Greek). Cognate with Scots souch (“sough”), Icelandic súgur (“a rushing sound, rustle”). Noun replaced Middle English swei, sweȝ from Old English swēg. More at swoon.
- To make a soft rustling or murmuring sound.
“I lay awake for a while that evening, listening to the soughing of the wind high in the pines, realizing sadly that we must now return to civilization.”
- To drain.
- A murmuring sound; rushing, rustling, or whistling sound.
“[...] Arthur; a fearful night it was: there was a sough in the air, a sound drawing nigh like that of a host marching:- — but you're looking pale and forwrought, man; is any thing ailing ye?”
“The whispering leaves or solemn sough of the forest.”
“Syenite hears the distant sough of waves rolling against rocks, somewhere below the slope on which they lie.”
- A gentle breeze; a waft; a breath.
- A (deep) sigh.
- Scotland, obsoleteA vague rumour.
- Scotland, obsoleteA cant or whining mode of speaking, especially in preaching or praying.
- A small drain; an adit.
- A hamlet in Kelbrook and Sough parish, Pendle borough, Lancashire, England (OS grid ref SD9045).
Formssoughs(present, singular, third-person) · soughing(participle, present) · soughed(participle, past) · soughed(past) · soughs(plural)