Sound

Sound Sound, n. [OE. soun, OF. son, sun, F. son, fr. L. sonus akin to Skr. svana sound, svan to sound, and perh. to E. swan. Cf. {Assonant}, {Consonant}, {Person}, {Sonata}, {Sonnet}, {Sonorous}, {Swan}.] 1. The peceived object occasioned by the impulse or vibration of a material substance affecting the ear; a sensation or perception of the mind received through the ear, and produced by the impulse or vibration of the air or other medium with which the ear is in contact; the effect of an impression made on the organs of hearing by an impulse or vibration of the air caused by a collision of bodies, or by other means; noise; report; as, the sound of a drum; the sound of the human voice; a horrid sound; a charming sound; a sharp, high, or shrill sound. [1913 Webster]

The warlike sound Of trumpets loud and clarions. --Milton. [1913 Webster]

2. The occasion of sound; the impulse or vibration which would occasion sound to a percipient if present with unimpaired; hence, the theory of vibrations in elastic media such cause sound; as, a treatise on sound. [1913 Webster]

Note: In this sense, sounds are spoken of as audible and inaudible. [1913 Webster]

3. Noise without signification; empty noise; noise and nothing else. [1913 Webster]

Sense and not sound . . . must be the principle. --Locke. [1913 Webster]

{Sound boarding}, boards for holding pugging, placed in partitions of under floors in order to deaden sounds.

{Sound bow}, in a series of transverse sections of a bell, that segment against which the clapper strikes, being the part which is most efficacious in producing the sound. See Illust. of {Bell}.

{Sound post}. (Mus.) See {Sounding post}, under {Sounding}. [1913 Webster]