different between possible vs sound

English

Etymology

From Middle English possible, from Old French possible, from Latin possibilis (“possible”), from posse (“to be able”); see power. Displaced Old English mihtl?? (“possible”), which was cognate with Dutch mogelijk (“possible”) and German möglich (“possible”).

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation) IPA^(key): /?p?s?bl?/
• (General American) IPA^(key): /?p?s?bl?/
• Hyphenation: pos?si?ble

Adjective

possible (comparative possibler or more possible, superlative possiblest or most possible)

1. (usually not comparable) Able but not certain to happen; neither inevitable nor impossible.

   Synonyms: futurable; see also Thesaurus:possible

   Antonyms: certain, inevitable, impossible
2. (comparable) Capable of being done or achieved; feasible.

   Synonyms: achievable, doable, viable

   Antonym: impossible
3. Being considered, e.g. for a position.

4. Apparently valid, likely, plausible.

   Synonyms: likely, plausible

   Antonym: implausible

Derived terms

• as much as possible
• ASAP (“as soon as possible”)
• possibly

Related terms

• possibility
• potent
• potential
• probable
• improbable
• incidental
• contingent

Translations

Noun

possible (plural possibles)

1. A possible one.
2. (colloquial, rare) A possible choice, notably someone being considered for a position.

   Jones is a possible for the new opening in sales.

3. (rare) A particular event that may happen.

Synonyms

• possibility
• option

Antonyms

• impossible
• no-go

Translations

Further reading

• possible in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.
• possible in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• bespoils

Catalan

Etymology

From Latin possibilis.

Pronunciation

• (Balearic, Central) IPA^(key): /pu?si.bl?/
• (Valencian) IPA^(key): /po?si.ble/

Adjective

possible (masculine and feminine plural possibles)

1. possible

   Antonym: impossible

Derived terms

• possibilitat
• possiblement

Related terms

• impossible

Further reading

• “possible” in Diccionari de la llengua catalana, segona edició, Institut d’Estudis Catalans.

French

Etymology

From Latin possibilis.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /p?.sibl/

Adjective

possible (plural possibles)

1. possible

Related terms

• possibilité
• possiblement

Noun

possible m (plural possibles)

1. The possible, feasible, what can be done, achieved etc.

Derived terms

Further reading

• “possible” in Trésor de la langue française informatisé (The Digitized Treasury of the French Language).

English

Alternative forms

• soune, sownd, sowne (obsolete)

Pronunciation

• (Received Pronunciation, General American) IPA^(key): /sa?nd/
• Rhymes: -a?nd

Etymology 1

From Middle English sound, sund, isund, ?esund, from Old English sund, ?esund (“sound, safe, whole, uninjured, healthy, prosperous”), from Proto-Germanic *gasundaz, *sundaz (“healthy”), from Proto-Indo-European *sunt-, *swent- (“vigorous, active, healthy”).

Cognate with Scots sound, soun (“healthy, sound”), Saterland Frisian suund, gesuund (“healthy”), West Frisian sûn (“healthy”), Dutch gezond (“healthy, sound”), Low German sund, gesund (“healthy”), German gesund (“healthy, sound”), Danish sund (“healthy”), Swedish sund (“sound, healthy”). Related also to Dutch gezwind (“fast, quick”), German geschwind (“fast, quick”), Old English sw?þ (“strong, mighty, powerful, active, severe, violent”). See swith.

Adjective

sound (comparative sounder, superlative soundest)

1. Healthy.
2. Complete, solid, or secure.
3. (mathematics, logic) Having the property of soundness.

   Hypernym: valid
4. (Britain, slang) Good; acceptable; decent.

5. (of sleep) Quiet and deep.

6. Heavy; laid on with force.

7. Founded in law; legal; valid; not defective.

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

sound (comparative more sound, superlative most sound)

1. Soundly.

Interjection

sound

1. (Britain, slang) Yes; used to show agreement or understanding, generally without much enthusiasm.

Etymology 2

• Noun: from Middle English sownde, alteration of sowne, borrowed from Anglo-Norman sun, soun, Old French son, from accusative of Latin sonus.
• Verb: from Middle English sownden, sounen, borrowed from Anglo-Norman suner, sounder, Old French soner (modern sonner), from Latin son?.
• The hypercorrect -d appears in the fifteenth century.

Displaced native Middle English swei, from Old English sw??.

Noun

sound (countable and uncountable, plural sounds)

1. A sensation perceived by the ear caused by the vibration of air or some other medium.
2. A vibration capable of causing such sensations.
   • It was April 22, 1831, and a young man was walking down Whitehall in the direction of Parliament Street. […]. He halted opposite the Privy Gardens, and, with his face turned skywards, listened until the sound of the Tower guns smote again on the ear and dispelled his doubts.

3. (music) A distinctive style and sonority of a particular musician, orchestra etc
4. Noise without meaning; empty noise.
5. Earshot, distance within which a certain noise may be heard.

Synonyms

• See also Thesaurus:sound

Descendants

• ? Japanese: ???? (saundo)

Translations

See also

• audible

Verb

sound (third-person singular simple present sounds, present participle sounding, simple past and past participle sounded)

1. (intransitive) To produce a sound.

2. (copulative) To convey an impression by one's sound.
3. (intransitive) To be conveyed in sound; to be spread or published; to convey intelligence by sound.
4. (intransitive, obsolete) To resound.
5. (intransitive, law, often with in) To arise or to be recognizable as arising in or from a particular area of law, or as likely to result in a particular kind of legal remedy.

6. (transitive) To cause to produce a sound.

7. (transitive, phonetics, of a vowel or consonant) To pronounce.

Synonyms

• (to make noise): echo, reecho, resonate
• See also Thesaurus:sound

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 3

From Middle English sound, sund, from Old English sund (“the power, capacity, or act of swimming; swimming; sea; ocean; water; sound; strait; channel”), from Proto-Germanic *sund? (“swimming; sound”), from Proto-Indo-European *swem- (“swimming; sea”). Cognate with Dutch sond (“sound; strait”), Danish sund (“sound; strait; channel”), Swedish sund (“sound; strait; channel”), Icelandic sund (“sound; strait; channel”). Related to swim.

Noun

sound (plural sounds)

1. (geography) A long narrow inlet, or a strait between the mainland and an island; also, a strait connecting two seas, or connecting a sea or lake with the ocean.

   • The Sound of Denmarke, where ships pay toll.

2. The air bladder of a fish.

3. A cuttlefish.

   (Can we find and add a quotation of Ainsworth to this entry?)

Derived terms

Translations

Etymology 4

From Middle English sounden, from Old French sonder, from sonde (“sounding line”) of Germanic origin, compare Old English sundgyrd (“a sounding rod”), sundline (“a sounding line”), Old English sund (“water, sea”). More at Etymology 3 above.

Verb

sound (third-person singular simple present sounds, present participle sounding, simple past and past participle sounded)

1. (intransitive) Dive downwards, used of a whale.

2. To ascertain, or try to ascertain, the thoughts, motives, and purposes of (a person); to examine; to try; to test; to probe.

   When I sounded him, he appeared to favor the proposed deal.

   • 1665, John Dryden, The Indian Emperour

     I was in jest, / And by that offer meant to sound your breast.

   • I've sounded my Numidians man by man.

3. Test; ascertain the depth of water with a sounding line or other device.

4. (medicine) To examine with the instrument called a sound or sonde, or by auscultation or percussion.

Translations

Noun

sound (plural sounds)

1. A long, thin probe for sounding or dilating body cavities or canals such as the urethra; a sonde.

Translations

References

• sound at OneLook Dictionary Search
• sound in The Century Dictionary, New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911.

Anagrams

• nodus, udons, undos

Italian

Etymology

Borrowed from English sound.

Noun

sound m (invariable)

1. (music) sound (distinctive style and sonority)