SOUND OFF

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does sound off mean? 

• SOUND OFF (verb)
  The verb SOUND OFF has 3 senses:

1. express one's opinion openly and without fear or hesitation

2. start playing

3. express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness

  Familiarity information: SOUND OFF used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• SOUND OFF (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

Express one's opinion openly and without fear or hesitation

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

animadvert; opine; sound off; speak out; speak up

Context example:

John spoke up at the meeting

Hypernyms (to "sound off" is one way to...):

declare (state emphatically and authoritatively)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sound off"):

editorialise; editorialize (insert personal opinions into an objective statement)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s that CLAUSE

Sense 2

Meaning:

Start playing

Classified under:

Verbs of sewing, baking, painting, performing

Synonyms:

sound off; strike up

Context example:

The musicians struck up a tune

Hypernyms (to "sound off" is one way to...):

play (play on an instrument)

Domain category:

music (musical activity (singing or whistling etc.))

music ((music) the sounds produced by singers or musical instruments (or reproductions of such sounds))

music (an artistic form of auditory communication incorporating instrumental or vocal tones in a structured and continuous manner)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sense 3

Meaning:

Express complaints, discontent, displeasure, or unhappiness

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

complain; kick; kvetch; plain; quetch; sound off

Context example:

She has a lot to kick about

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "sound off"):

hen-peck; nag; peck (bother persistently with trivial complaints)

backbite; bitch (say mean things)

grizzle; whine; yammer; yawp (complain whiningly)

croak; gnarl; grumble; murmur; mutter (make complaining remarks or noises under one's breath)

grouch; grumble; scold (show one's unhappiness or critical attitude)

protest (utter words of protest)

repine (express discontent)

beef; bellyache; bitch; crab; gripe; grouse; holler; squawk (complain)

inveigh; rail (complain bitterly)

bemoan; bewail; deplore; lament (regret strongly)

report (complain about; make a charge against)

bleat (talk whiningly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s that CLAUSE