sooth

English

Etymology

Middle English sooth, from Old English sōþ (“truth", also "true, actual, real”), from Proto-Germanic *sanþaz (“truth; true”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁sónts, *es-ont- (“being, existence, real, true”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁es-, *es- (“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: /suːθ/

Noun

sooth (uncountable)

1. (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.

2. (obsolete) augury; prognostication
   • Spenser

     The sooth of birds, by beating of their wings.

3. (obsolete) blandishment; cajolery

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

Translations

truth

• Russian: истина (ru) (ístina) f, правда (ru) (právda) f

Derived terms

• soothsayer
• soothsaying
• soothfast
• forsooth

Adjective

sooth (comparative soother, superlative soothest)

1. (archaic) True.

See also

• soothe
• soothly
• soothfast
• forsooth

Anagrams

• hoots
• shoot
• Sotho
• toosh

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Scots

Pronunciation

• IPA: /suθ/

Adjective

sooth (not comparable)

1. south

Adverb

sooth (not comparable)

1. south

Noun

sooth (uncountable)

1. south