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Definition of sound adjective from the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary

sound

adjective
 
/saʊnd/
 
/saʊnd/
(comparative sounder, superlative soundest)
Idioms
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    reliable

  1. sensible; that you can rely on and that will probably give good results
    • He's a person of very sound judgement.
    • He gave me some very sound advice.
    • This gives the design team a sound basis for their work.
    • The proposal makes sound commercial sense.
    • Their policies are environmentally sound.
    opposite unsound
    Extra Examples
    • It was a financially sound investment.
    • She had a perfectly sound reason for acting as she did.
    • That seems like fairly sound advice.
    • You need to have sound reasons to back up your arguments.
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • seem
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    See full entry
  2. detailed/complete

  3. [only before noun] good, detailed and complete
    • a sound knowledge/understanding of something
    • He has a sound grasp of the issues.
    • Do you think the evidence is sound?
  4. not damaged/hurt

  5. in good condition; not damaged, hurt, etc.
    • We arrived home safe and sound.
    • to be of sound mind (= not mentally ill)
    • The house needs attention but the roof is sound.
    • The roof is in reasonably sound condition.
    opposite unsound
    Oxford Collocations Dictionaryverbs
    • be
    • look
    • seem
    adverb
    • extremely
    • fairly
    • very
    phrases
    • safe and sound
    See full entry
  6. sleep

  7. [usually before noun] deep and peaceful
    • to have a sound night’s sleep
    • to be a sound sleeper
  8. good, but not excellent

  9. good and accurate, but not excellent
    • a sound piece of writing
    • a sound tennis player
    • This was another sound performance by the team.
  10. physical punishment

  11. severe
    • to give somebody a sound beating
  12. Word Originadjective Middle English: from Old English gesund, of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch gezond and German gesund.
See sound in the Oxford Advanced American DictionarySee sound in the Oxford Learner's Dictionary of Academic English
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