sonometer 
strings or wires, aud in illustrating the laws 
which govern their transverse vibrations. It 
consists of a sounding-board upon suitable supports, so 
arranged that two strings may be stretched above it side 
by side ; their tension and their lengths may be varied at 
will by changing the position of the bridges : the strings 
vraons n e musca noe gven y a n r - 
versely as its length and diameter, directly as the square 
root of the tension, and inversely as the square root of its 
density. 
2. An instrument, consisting of a small bell 
fixed on a table, for testing the effects of treat- 
ment for deafness. 3. In elect., an apparatus 
for testing metals by means of an induction- 
coil, with which is associated a telephone. See 
induction-balance. 
Sonora gum. See gum?. 
sonore (so-no're), adv. [< It. sonoro : see sono- 
rous.] In music, in a loud, sonorous manner. 
sonorescence (so-no-res'ens), 11. [< sonores- 
cen(t) + -ce.] The property of some sub- 
stances, as hard rubber, of emitting a sound 
when an intermittent beam of radiant heat or 
light falls upon them. See radiophony. 
sonorescent (so-no-res'ent), a. [< sonor-ous 
+ -escent,] Possessing the property of sono- 
rescence. 
sonorific (so-no-rif'ik), a. [< L. sonor, a sound 
(< sonare, sound), + -ficus, (. facere, make.] 1. 
Making sound: as, the sonorific quality of a 
body. 
This will evidently appear ... if he should ask me why 
a clock strikes and points to the hour, and 1 should say it 
is by an indicating form and sonorifick quality. 
Watts, Logic, I. vi. ! 3. 
2. In zool., sound -producing; making a noise, 
as the stridulating organs of a cricket : distin- 
guished from vocal or phonetic. Also sonant. 
sonority (so-nor'i-ti), n. [= F. sonorite = Sp. 
sonoridad = Pg. sonoridade = It. sonorita, < LL. 
sonorita(t-)s, fullness of sound, < L. sonorus, 
sounding, sonorous : see sonorous.] Sonorous- 
ness. 
Few can really so surrender their ears as to find plea- 
sure in restless sonority for many minutes at a time 
E. Gurney, in Nineteenth Century, XIII. 446. 
sonorophone (so-no'ro-fon), . [< L. sonants, 
sonorous, + Gr. <j>w y, sound, voice.] A variety 
of bombardon. 
sonorous (so-no'rus), a. [= P. sonore = Sp. 
Pg. It. sonoro, < L. sonorus, sounding, loud- 
sounding, < sonor, sound, noise, allied to sonug, 
sound, < sonare, sound : see sound 5 .] 1 . Giving 
sound, as when struck ; resonant ; sounding. 
Sonorous metal blowing martial sounds. 
Milton, P. L., i. 640. 
A body is only sonorous when put into a particular con- 
dition of vibration. J. Sully, Outlines of Psychol., p. 156. 
2. Giving a loud or full-volumed sound; loud- 
sounding: as, a sonorous voice. 
And lo ! with a summons sonorous 
Sounded the bell from its tower. 
Longfellow, Evangeline, i. 4. 
3. Having an imposing sound; high-sounding: 
as, a sonorous style. 
The Italian opera seldom sinks into "a poorness of lan- 
guage, but, amidst all the meanness and familiarity of the 
thoughts, has something beautiful and sonorous in the ex- 
pression. Addiion, Remarks on Italy (ed. Bohn), I. 398. 
4. Sonant: as, the vowels are sono-o._sono- 
rpus figures, those figures which are formed by the vibra- 
tions produced by sound. Thus, when a layer of fine sand 
is strewn on a disk of glass or metal, and a violin-bow 
drawn down on the edge of the disk, a musical note will be 
heard, accompanied by motion in the sand, which will 
gather itself to those parts that continue at rest that is to 
the nodal lines, forming what are termed sonorous figures 
See nodal lines, under nodal.- Sonorous rale See an 
rMe, under nife.-Sonorous stone, a commSn emblem in 
se as a part of Chinese decoration and also as a mark for 
certain porcelain vases and similar objects. The figure 
is intended to represent one of those stones which when 
"."af n'otes a * rame an d struck with a mallet produce mu- 
sonorously (so-no'rus-li), adv. In a sonorous 
manner; with sound; with an imposing sound 
sonorousness (so-no'rus-nes), n. Sonorous 
character or quality : as, the sonorousness of 
metals, of a voice, of style, etc. 
5770 
Don't you perceive the sonorousness of these old dead 
Latin phrases? 0. W. Holmes, Autocrat, v. 
sons, sonce (sons), n. [< Gael. Ir. sonas, pros- 
perity, happiness; ef . Gael, sona, happy.] Pros- 
perity; felicity; abundance. [Scotch.] 
sonship (sun'ship), n. [< sow 1 -I- -ship.] The 
relation of son ; filiation ; the character, rights, 
duties, and privileges of a sou. 
Regeneration on the part of the grantor, God Almighty, 
means admission or adoption into sonship, or spiritual 
citizenship. Waterland, Works, III. 348. 
Sonstadt solution. See solution. 
sonsy, soncy (son'si), . [Also sonsie, soncie; 
< sons, sonce, + -y 1 .] Lucky; happy; good-hu- 
mored ; well-conditioned ; buxom. [Prov. Eng. 
and Scotch.] 
His honest, sonsie, baws'nt face 
Aye gat him friends in ilka place. 
Bunts, The Twa Dogs. 
"Is she a pretty girl?" said the Duke ; "her sister does 
not get beyond a good comely sonsy lass. " 
Scott, Heart of Mid- Lothian, xxxix. 
sontag (son'tag), n. [Named after Henriette 
Sontag, a famous singer (died 1854).] A knit- 
ted or crocheted covering for a woman's shoul- 
ders. It was worn outside the dress like a cape, 
and was tied down round the waist. 
sontyt (son'ti), n. [Also santy ; an abbr. of 
sanctity.] Sanctity : a reduced form occurring, 
usually in the plural, in the phrase God's sonty, 
used as an oath. 
By God's sonties, 'twill be a hard way to hit. 
Shak., M. of V., ii. 2. 47. 
SOOa, n. Same as suar. 
soocey, n. See susi. 
soochong, 71. See souchong. 
soodra, sooder, n. Same as sudra. 
Soofee, 71. See Sufi. 
sooiee, . See sujee. 
SOOl, 71. See fmd. 
SOOla-clover (so'la-klo'ver), 7i. See Hedysarum. 
soom (som), r. A Scotch form of su'im. 
SOOn (son or sun), adv. [< ME. soone, sone, 
tonne, sune (cotnpar. sonere, sonnere, sunnere), < 
AS. sona (with adverbial suffix -a, as in twiwa, 
twice, etc., not present in most of the other 
forms) = OS. sdna, sdno, sane, sdn = OFries. 
sdn, son = MD. saen = MLG. sdn = MHG. saw 
(cf . OHG. MHG. sa) ; cf . Icel. senn, soon ; Goth. 
suns, immediately; prob. akin to AS. sicd, etc., 
so: see so 1 .] If. At once; forthwith; imme- 
diately. 
Thanne he assoilled hir sone. Piers Plovman(B\ iii. 47. 
2. In a short time ; at an early date or an early 
moment; before long; shortly; presently: as, 
winter will soon be here ; I hope to see you SOOM. 
Now doth he frown, 
And 'gins to chide, but soon she stops his lips. 
SAa*., Venus and Adonis, 1. 46. 
We knew that the Spaniards would oon be after us, 
and one man falling into their hands might be the ruin of 
us all, by giving an account of our strength and condi- 
tion. Dampier, Voyages, I. 2. 
3. Early; before the time specified is much 
advanced ; when the time, event, or the like has 
but just arrived : as, soo7 in the morning ; soon 
at night (that is, early in the evening, or as 
soo7( as night sets in) ; soon at five o'clock (that 
is, as soon as the hour of five arrives) : an old 
locution still in use in the southern United 
States. 
Within my twenty yere of age, 
Whan that love taketh his corage 
Of yonge folke, I wente soone 
To bed, as I was wont to doon. 
Rom. of the Rose, v. 23. 
Soon at five o'clock, 
Please you, 111 meet with you upon the mart. 
Shak., C. of E., i. 2. 26. 
4. Early ; before the usual, proper, set, or ex- 
pected time. 
How is it that ye are come so goon to day? Ex. ii. 18. 
These considerations moved me to hasten my departure 
somewhat sooner than I intended. 
Swift, Gulliver's Travels, i. 8. 
5. Quickly; speedily; easily. 
She burn'd out love, as soon as^w ou^urneth. 
" na * ' i8 - "Wi 1- 
sooth 
I am an extravagant young fellow who wants to borrow 
money you I take to be a prudent old fellow, who have 
got money to lend I am blockhead enough to give tittv 
per cent, sooner than not have it. 
Sheridan, School for Scandal, iii. 3. 
As soon as, the moment that ; immediately after : as, as 
soon as the mail arrives 1 shall let you know ; as soon as he 
saw the police he ran off. 
His Sustre fulfilled not his Wille : for als sone as he was 
ik-d Kche delyvci-L-d alle the Lordes out of Presoun, and 
lete hem gon, cche Lord to his owne. 
Manderille, Travels, p. 89. 
A man who belongs to the army only in time of peace, 
. . . and retires as soon as he thinks it likely that he may 
be ordered on an expedition, is justly thought to have dis- 
graced himself. Macaulay, Sir William Temple. 
No sooner than, as soon as ; ] ust as. - Soon and anon t , 
forthwith ; promptly. 
Johne toke the munkes horse be the hede 
In I sone and anone. 
Robin Hood and the Monk (Child's Ballads, V. 9). 
Sooner or later, at some future time, near or remote: 
often implying that the event spoken of will inevitably 
occur. Soon sot. See oi. =Syn. 2 and 3. Betimes, etc. 
(see early), promptly, quickly. 6. Xief. 
SOOnt (son or sun), a. [< soow, adv.] Early; 
speedy; quick. 
The end of these wars, of which they hope for a soon and 
prosperous issue. Sir P. Sidney, Arcadia, I. 
Make your soonest haste ; 
So your desires are yours. 
Shak., A. and C., iii. 4. 27. 
Soonee, n. See Sunni. 
soonlyt (son'li or sun'li), adv. [< soon + -Ii/ 2 .] 
Quickly; promptly. [Rare.] 
A mason meets with a stone that wants no cutting, and 
soonly approving of it, places it in his work. Dr. II. More. 
soop (sop), v. t. [< Icel. sopa. sweep : see swoop, 
sweep.] To sweep. [Scotch.] 
sooping (so'ping), 71. [Verbal n. of soop, v.] 
1. The act of sweeping, as with a broom. 
A wheen cork-headed, barmy-brained gowks ! that wun- 
na let puir folk sae muckle as die in quiet wi' their sos- 
sings and their soopings. Scott, St. Konan's Well, xxxii. 
2. What is swept together: generally in the 
plural. [Scotch in both senses.] 
soorack, . See sourock. 
soordt, n. An obsolete variant of sward. 
soorma, n. See surma. 
SOOrock, 7i. See sourock. 
SOOSOO, n. See SMSM. 
SOOt 1 (sut or s6t), 7i. [< ME. soot, sote, sot, < 
As. sot, also written soot, = MD. soet = MLG. 
sot, LG. soft = Icel. sot = Sw. so* = Dan. sod, 
soot; = Ir. suth = Gael, suith = W. swta (per- 
haps < E. ) = Lith. sodis, usually in pi. sodzei, 
soot. Cf. P. suie, dial, suje = Pr. suta, suga =; 
Cat. sutja, soot, prob. from the Celtic.] A black 
substance formed by combustion, or disengaged 
from fuel in the process of combustion, rising 
in fine particles and adhering to the sides of the 
chimney or pipe conveying the smoke. The soot 
of coal and that of wood differ very materially in their com- 
position, the former containing more finely divided car- 
bon than the latter. Coal-soot also contains considerable 
quantities of ammonium sulphate and chlorld. The soot 
of wood has a peculiar empyreumatic odor and bitter taste. 
It is very complex in composition, containing potash, 
soda, lime, and magnesia, combined with both organic and 
inorganic acids. It has been used to some extent in med- 
icine as a tonic and antispasmodic. 
Soot, of reke or smoke. Fuligo. Prompt. Pan., p. 465. 
We could not speak, no more than if 
We had been choked with soot. 
Coleridge, Ancient Mariner, ii. 
Soot-cancer, epithelioma apparently due to the irritat- 
ing action of soot on the skin, seen in chimney-sweeps. 
SOOt 1 (sut or sot), v. t. [< soo<i, w.] To mark, 
cover, or treat with soot. 
The land was sooted before. Mortimer. 
S00t 2 t, SOOtet. Middle English forms of sweet. 
SOOt-dew (sut'du), 71. In bot., a black fuliginous 
coating covering parts of living plants. It is 
caused by fungi of the genus Fumago. 
SOOterkint (so'ter-kin), 71. [Appar. of D. origin, 
but no corresponding D. term appears.] A kind 
of false birth fabled to be produced by Dutch 
women from sitting over their stoves (John- 
is 
mati 
brain than a dull Dutchwoman's sooterHn is of 
vlnity "pride OT Ivariceta otters'" 8 me ' ** mn tha " D '" *"" *****' ^Vd">, Re^arkTo^Th^Empress o7 Morocco! 
eligio Medici, it 9. 
8. Readily; willingly; gladly: in this sense 
Pope, Dunciad, i. 126. 
other sootflake (sut'flak), w. A flake or particle of 
soot; - 
figures 
VersallieT" ' '""* ' 800th (soth), a. [< ME. sooth, soth, aothe, < AS. 
Adduon, lo Congreve, Blois, Dec., 1899. soth = OS. soth, moth, suot = Icel. annr (for 
