Definition of sounding Sounding

/sawˈndɪŋ/ - [sawnding] - sound•ing

We found 24 definitions of sounding from 6 different sources.

What does sounding mean?

WordNet

Noun Plural: soundings
sounding - the act of measuring depth of water (usually with a sounding line)
		measurement, measuring, mensuration, measure the act or process of assigning numbers to phenomena according to a rule; "the measurements were carefully done"; "his mental measurings proved remarkably accurate"
sounding - a measure of the depth of water taken with a sounding line
		deepness, depth a low pitch that is loud and voluminous
Adjective
sounding - making or having a sound as specified; used as a combining form; "harsh-sounding"
sounding - having volume or deepness; "sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal"; "the sounding cataract haunted me like a passion"- Wordsworth
sounding - appearing to be as specified; usually used as combining forms; "left their clothes dirty looking"; "a most disagreeable looking character"; "angry-looking"; "liquid-looking"; "severe-looking policemen on noble horses"; "fine-sounding phrases"; "taken in by high-sounding talk"
		looking

= synonym
= antonym
= related word

Wiktionary

sounding (Noun)
The action of the verb to sound.
sounding (Noun)
Testing with a probe or sonde.
sounding (Noun)
A measured depth of water.
sounding (Noun)
The act of inserting of a thin metal rod into the urethra of the penis for medical or sexual purposes.
sounding (Noun)
Any place or part of the ocean, or other water, where a sounding line will reach the bottom.
sounding (Noun)
The sand, shells, etc. brought up by the sounding lead when it has touched bottom.
sounding (Verb)
Present participle of sound.
sounding (Adjective)
Emitting a sound.
sounding (Adjective)
sonorous.

Webster DictionaryWebster's Unabridged Dictionary 📘

sounding (p. pr. & vb. n.)
of Sound
sounding (a.)
Making or emitting sound; hence, sonorous; as, sounding words.
sounding (n.)
The act of one who, or that which, sounds (in any of the senses of the several verbs).
sounding (n.)
measurement by sounding; also, the depth so ascertained.
sounding (n.)
Any place or part of the ocean, or other water, where a sounding line will reach the bottom; -- usually in the plural.
sounding (n.)
The sand, shells, or the like, that are brought up by the sounding lead when it has touched bottom.

Marine DictionaryUniversal Dictionary of the Marine ⚓️

sounding
(sonder, Fr.) the operation of trying the depth of the water, and the quality of the ground, by means of a plummet, plomb de sonde, sunk from a ship to the bottom.
There are two plummets used for this purpose in navigation; one of which is called the hand-lead, weighing about 8 or 9 pound; and the other the deep-sea-lead, which weighs from 25 to 30 pound, and both are shaped like the frustrum of a cone or pyramid. The former is used in shallow waters, and the latter at a great distance from the shore; particularly on approaching the land, after a sea-voyage. Accordingly the lines employed for this purpose are called the deep-sea lead-line, and the hand lead-line.
The hand lead-line, which is usually 20 fathoms in length, is marked at every 2 or 3 fathoms; so that the depth of the water may be ascertained either in the day or night. At the depth of 2 and 3 fathoms, there are marks of black leather; at 5 fathom, there is a white rag; at 7, a red rag; at 10, black leather; at 13, black leather; at 15, a white rag; and at 17, a red ditto.
Sounding with the hand-lead, which is called heaving the lead by seamen, is generally performed by a man who stands in the main-chains to windward. Having the line all ready to run out, without interrupton, he holds it nearly at the distance of a fathom from the plummet, and having swung the latter backwards and forwards three or four times, in order to acquire the greater velocity, he swings it round his head, and thence, as far forward as is necessary; so that, by the lead’s sinking whilst the ship advances, the line may be almost perpendicular when it reaches the bottom. The person sounding then proclaims the depth of the water in a kind of song resembling the cries of hawkers in a city. Thus, if the mark of 5 fathoms is close to the surface of the water, he calls ‘By the mark five!’ and as there is no mark at 4, 6, 8, &c. he estimates those numbers, and calls, ‘By the dip four,’ &c. If he judges it to be a quarter, or an half more than any particular number, he calls, ‘And a quarter five! and a half four,’ &c. If he conceives the depth to be 3 quarters more than a particular number, he calls it a quarter less than the next: thus, at 4 fathom and ¾, he calls ‘A quarter less five!’ and so on.
The deep-sea-lead is marked with two knots at 20 fathom, 3 at 30, 4 at 40, and so on to the end. It is also marked with a single knot in the middle of each interval, as at 25, 35, 45 fathoms, &c. To use this lead more effectually at sea, or in deep water on the sea-coast, it is usual previously to bring-to the ship, in order to retard her course: the lead is then thrown as far as possible from the ship on the line of her drift, so that, as it sinks, the ship drives more perpendicularly over it. The pilot feeling the lead strike the bottom, readily discovers the depth of the water by the mark on the line nearest its surface. The bottom of the lead being also well rubbed over with tallow, retains the distinguishing marks of the bottom, as shells, ooze, gravel, &c. which naturally adheres to it.
The depth of the water, and the nature of the ground, which is called the soundings, are carefully marked in the log-book, as well to determine the distance of the place from the shore, as to correct the observations of former pilots. See COASTING and NAVIGATION.

Sailor's Word-BookThe Sailor's Word-Book ⛵

sounding
An instrument for discovering the depth of water; it is a tapered cylinder of lead, of 7, 14, or 28 lbs. weight, and attached, by means of a strop, to the lead-line, which is marked at certain distances to ascertain the fathoms. (See HAND-LINE.)--Deep-sea lead. A lead of a larger size, being from 28 to 56 lbs. in weight, and attached to a much longer line. (See DEEP-SEA LINE.)--To heave the lead. To throw it into the sea as far ahead as possible, if the ship is under way.
sounding
The operation of ascertaining the depth of the sea, and the quality of the ground, by means of a lead and line, sunk from a ship to the bottom, where some of the ooze or sand adheres to the tallow in the hollow base of the lead. Also, the vertical diving of a whale when struck. It is supposed to strike the bottom, and will take 3 or 4 coils of whale-line, equal to 2000 feet.