sooth
English
Etymology
From Middle English sooth, from Old English sōþ (“truth; true, actual, real”), from Proto-Germanic *sanþaz (“truth; true”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁sónts, *h₁s-ont- (“being, existence, real, true”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁es- (“to be”). Akin to Old Saxon sōþ (“true”), Old High German sand (“true”), Old Norse sannr (“true”), Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌽𐌾𐌰 (sunja, “truth”), Old English sēon (“to be”), Old English synn (“sin, guilt"; literally, "being the one guilty”). More at sin.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /suːθ/
Noun
sooth (uncountable)
- (archaic) Truth.
- William Shakespeare (Merchant of Venice, Act I, Scene 1)
- In sooth, I know not why I am so sad.
- Longfellow
- In good sooth, / Its mystery is love, its meaning youth.
- William Shakespeare (Merchant of Venice, Act I, Scene 1)
- (obsolete) augury; prognostication
- Spenser
- The sooth of birds, by beating of their wings.
- Spenser
- (obsolete) blandishment; cajolery
- (obsolete) reality; fact
Derived terms
Derived terms
- forsooth
- soothfast
- soothly
- soothsayer
- soothsaying
Translations
truth
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Adjective
sooth (comparative soother, superlative soothest)
- (archaic) True.
- Spenser
- That shall I sooth (said he) to you declare.
- Spenser
- (obsolete) Pleasing; delightful; sweet.
- Milton
- the soothest shepherd that ever piped on plains
- Keats
- with jellies soother than the creamy curd
- Milton
Related terms
- soothe
- soothen
- soothly
- soothfast
- forsooth
Adverb
sooth (not comparable)
- (archaic) In truth; indeed.
Anagrams
- Hoots, Htoos, Sotho, hoots, shoot, toosh
Scots
Etymology
From Old English sūþ, from Proto-Germanic *sunþrą.
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /suθ/
Adjective
sooth (not comparable)
- south
Adverb
sooth (not comparable)
- south
Noun
sooth (uncountable)
- south