sounding

Of speech, to have or communicate a certain kind of tone or attitude. The president sounded an beleaguered note in his address to congress, as he tried to convince them to vote for the healthcare bill he is backing. The manager sounded a rather insincere note as he expressed his sorrow at the round of layoffs.

To indicate or give the impression that something is wrong, disingenuous, or deceitful. I know she apologized, but it sounded a false note with me—I don't believe she meant what she said.

To give the impression of something being the case based on what one hears or is told. It sounds as if you're really unhappy in your job, at least from everything you've told me so far. The team gave me an update on their progress, and it sounded as if everything was going smoothly.

To seem suspicious of being improper, untoward, or duplicitous. A: "Their numbers don't match up with the taxes they've paid." B: "Hmm, that sounds fishy." He thought Janet's response sounded a bit fishy, so he did a bit of investigation into her role in the company.

To be very tiresome or irritating in the way one continues to say or reiterate the same thing over and over again. Likened to vinyl records that, when severely scratched (i.e., "broken"), can loop endlessly over the same recorded segment. Would you stop telling me to clean my room already? Sheesh, you sound like a broken record! I know I must be sounding like a broken record at this point, but it is crucial that you follow the steps exactly as I've planned them.

A person or group with whom one discusses an idea, plan, or suggestion in order to evaluate its strengths, acceptability, feasibility, practicality, etc. My friend John and I really know each other's skills and interests, so whenever one of us has an idea for a new project, we use the other as a sounding board.

To ask questions in order to learn people's opinions about a certain topic. I'm taking soundings to find out what people want to read about in the student newspaper.

to say the same thing over and over again. (Fig. on a scratch in a phonograph record causing the needle [or stylus] to stay in the same groove and play it over and over.) He's always complaining about the way she treats him. He sounds like a broken record! I hate to sound like a broken record, but we just don't have enough people on the payroll to work effciently.

to try to find out what someone thinks (about something). I don't know what Jane thinks about your suggestion, but I'll sound her out. please sound out everyone in your department.

to pronounce the letters or syllables of a word as a means of figuring out what the word is. (Usually said to a child.) This word is easy, Bobby. Try to sound it out.

Seek the views or intentions of, as in We'd better sound out Mom about who's using the station wagon, or Let's sound out the staff before we decide which week we should close for vacation. This expression derives from sound meaning "to measure the depth of water by lowering a line or lead." It was transferred to other kinds of inquiry in the late 1500s, but out was not added for several centuries.

Endlessly repeating. The term alludes to a scratched phonograph record, in which the needle or stylus remains in the same groove and plays the same thing over and over. Although phonograph records have been largely replaced by other recording devices, the term remains current and is used figuratively to describe someone who keeps repeating something again and again. Still more figuratively, the Chicago Cubs’s online site headed an article, “Cubs’ latest loss sounds like a broken record” (July 1, 2010).