sole
sole
Pronunciation
The IPA phonetic spelling for "sole" is:
/soʊl/
Here's a breakdown of the sounds in each syllable:
soʊ:
/s/: voiceless alveolar sibilant
/oʊ/: diphthong, starting with a mid-back rounded vowel and moving to a high-back rounded vowel
l:
/l/: alveolar lateral liquid
Word Form Variations
Noun:
Singular: sole (e.g., "the sole of my shoe")
Plural: soles (e.g., "soles of shoes")
Verb:
Present tense: sole (e.g., "I sole my shoes")
Past tense: soled (e.g., "I soled my shoes yesterday")
Past participle: soled (e.g., "My shoes are soled")
Present participle: soling (e.g., "I am soling my shoes")
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Definitions, Synonyms, Antonyms
Noun
The underside of a foot or the bottom part of a shoe or boot.
Synonyms: bottom, undersurface
Antonyms: top, upper surface
A flatfish, especially a flounder or plaice.
Synonyms: flatfish, flounder, plaice
Antonyms: non-flatfish (e.g., cod, salmon)
Verb
To provide a sole to (a shoe or boot).
Synonyms: repair, mend, reshoe
Antonyms: damage, ruin
Adjective
Only; single.
Synonyms: only, single, unique
Antonyms: multiple, many
Examples of Use
Noun (Undersurface or Fish)
Literature: In The Old Man and the Sea by Ernest Hemingway, the old fisherman's weathered hands and calloused soles are a testament to his life at sea.
Newspapers: "The company's sole focus is to reduce carbon emissions." (The New York Times)
Online Publications: "The sole survivor of the plane crash was found clinging to a piece of wreckage." (BBC News)
General Discourse: "I need to get my shoes resoled; the soles are worn thin."
Verb (To Provide a Sole)
General Discourse: "The cobbler soled my boots with a durable rubber material."
Adjective (Only, Single)
Literature: "The sole heir to the throne was a young prince." (A historical novel)
Newspapers: "The sole witness to the crime was too afraid to testify." (The Washington Post)
Online Publications: "The sole purpose of the meeting was to discuss the budget." (Forbes)
General Discourse: "She was the sole survivor of the accident."
In Entertainment
Movies: In many films, characters are depicted wearing shoes with worn-out soles, symbolizing hardship or a long journey.
Television: A character might say, "I'm the sole breadwinner in my family," highlighting their financial responsibility.
Music: A song might reference the "sole of a shoe" metaphorically, implying a grounded or practical perspective.
Video Games: In role-playing games, characters may have different types of footwear with unique sole materials, affecting their movement speed and other abilities.
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10 Famous Quotes Using the term Sole
"The sole meaning of life is to serve humanity." — Leo Tolstoy
"The sole advantage of power is that you can do more good." — Baltasar Gracián
"The sole purpose of life is to find happiness, and it can only be found in serving others." — Anonymous
"The sole cause of man’s unhappiness is that he does not know how to stay quietly in his room." — Blaise Pascal
"The sole art that suits me is that which, rising from unrest, tends toward serenity." — André Gide
"The sole substitute for an experience we have not ourselves lived through is art and literature." — Alexander Solzhenitsyn
"The sole meaning of existence is to reconcile life’s contradictions." — Anonymous
"The sole difference between myself and a madman is that I am not mad." — Salvador Dalí
"The sole purpose of being in this world is to be kind." — Anonymous
"The sole purpose of our lives is to add value to the lives of others." — Anonymous
Etymology
The word "sole" has its roots in the Latin word "solus," which means "alone" or "single." Over time, this Latin word evolved into the Old French word "sol," which also meant "alone."
The English word "sole" comes from the Old French "sol." Initially, it referred to the bottom part of a foot or a shoe. Later, it also came to mean a type of flatfish, likely because its shape resembles the bottom of a foot.
So, the next time you look down at the sole of your shoe or order a plate of sole fish, remember that you're connecting with a word that has a long history, tracing back to the Latin concept of being alone or singular.
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Phrases + Idioms Containing the term Sole
Phrases:
Sole survivor: The only person remaining after an event.
Sole responsibility: The entire burden or duty of something.
Sole proprietor: A single owner of a business.
Sole heir: The only person entitled to inherit something.
Sole custody: Exclusive legal and physical care of a child.
We can also explore idioms using synonyms for "sole," like "only" or "single":
Only begotten son: The only child.
Single-minded: Focused on one goal.
Lone wolf: Someone who prefers to work alone.
While these idioms don't directly use "sole," they capture the essence of its meaning.
Posts Related to Sole
Source Information
Definition of Sole from The Academic Glossary at Self Exploration Academy, a Urikville Press Publication. © All rights reserved.
