sounding
Testing the waters
Sounding covers several related ideas of testing depth or exploring what lies beneath.
The oldest sense is measuring water depth, originally with a weighted line, now often with sonar.
From this comes the figurative use: to sound someone out is to probe their opinions or intentions cautiously.
I'm sounding out investors before we commit.
In medicine, a sounding is a thin instrument inserted to explore a body cavity.
As an adjective, sounding means producing or capable of producing sound: a sounding brass.
Nautical depth unit
- plumbExactly vertical or true
- bathymetrySubaqueous topographical measurement
- sonarUnderwater detection by echoes
- leadlineWeighted rope measuring depth
seafloor · submersible · oceanography · trench · abyssal · benthic · hydrography · profiling
Quality of sound
- pitchFrequency of sound
- resonanceAmplified oscillation at natural frequency
- timbreSound's distinctive character
- vibrationRapid oscillating movement
frequency · amplitude · reverberation · echo · sonic · decibel · waveform · oscillation
Medical listening examination
- stethoscopeMedical listening instrument
- percussionSound through impact
- probeThorough examination or tool
- catheterInserted medical drainage tube
diagnostic · examination · palpation · thoracic · cardiac · respiratory · clinical · lung
Determining position and course
- anchorSecures ships to seabed
- marinerOne who navigates ships
- sailorSeafaring crew member
- voyageJourney by sea
channel · harbor · shoal · buoy · chart · piloting · seamanship · maritime
Thoroughly investigating something
- testingExamining to evaluate
- gaugingMeasuring or estimating
- surveyingMeasuring and charting terrain
- investigatingSeeking facts systematically
inquiring · assessing · measuring · sampling · reconnaissance · preliminary · tentative · exploratory
fathom
Nautical depth unit
- plumbExactly vertical or true
- bathymetrySubaqueous topographical measurement
- sonarUnderwater detection by echoes
leadline · seafloor · submersible · oceanography · trench · abyssal · benthic · hydrography · profiling · bathyscaphe
tone
Quality of sound
- pitchFrequency of sound
- resonanceAmplified oscillation at natural frequency
- timbreSound's distinctive character
vibration · frequency · amplitude · reverberation · echo · sonic · decibel · waveform · oscillation · harmonics
auscultation
Medical listening examination
- stethoscopeMedical listening instrument
- percussionSound through impact
- probeThorough examination or tool
catheter · diagnostic · examination · palpation · thoracic · cardiac · respiratory · clinical · lung · chest
navigation
Determining position and course
voyage · channel · harbor · shoal · buoy · chart · piloting · seamanship · maritime · keel
probing
Thoroughly investigating something
investigating · inquiring · assessing · measuring · sampling · reconnaissance · preliminary · tentative · exploratory · canvassing
- meteorologyweather, rain, wind, snow, clouds
- ocean depthsshallow, deep, abyss, deep sea, deep ocean
- warning signalsalarm, alert, caution, siren, horn
- coastal navigationbeacon, buoy, channel marker, heading, nautical mile
- depth measurementdepth, depth sensor, depth gauge, depth chart, depth finder
- field researchquestionnaires, field survey, expeditions, field surveys, interviews
- sounding outPronouncing letter by letter
- sounding boardListener who gives feedback
- sounding offExpressing views forcefully
- depth soundingMeasuring water depth