sole 1
— soleness , n.
/sohl/ , adj.
1. being the only one; only: the sole living relative.
2. being the only one of the kind; unique; unsurpassed; matchless: the sole brilliance of the gem.
3. belonging or pertaining to one individual or group to the exclusion of all others; exclusive: the sole right to the estate.
4. functioning automatically or with independent power: the sole authority.
5. Chiefly Law. unmarried.
6. without company or companions; lonely: the sole splendor of her life.
7. Archaic. alone.
[ 1350-1400; solus alone; r. ME soule alone sol solus ]
Syn. 1. solitary. 2. individual.
sole 2
— soleless , adj.
/sohl/ , n. , v. , soled, soling .
n.
1. the bottom or under surface of the foot.
2. the corresponding under part of a shoe, boot, or the like, or this part exclusive of the heel.
3. the bottom, under surface, or lower part of anything.
4. Carpentry.
a. the underside of a plane.
b. soleplate.
5. Golf. the part of the head of the club that touches the ground.
v.t.
6. to furnish with a sole, as a shoe.
7. Golf. to place the sole of (a club) on the ground, as in preparation for a stroke.
[ 1275-1325; ME (n.) solea sandal, sole, deriv. of solum base, bottom ]
sole 3
/sohl/ , n. , pl. ( esp. collectively ) sole , ( esp. referring to two or more kinds or species ) soles .
1. a European flatfish, Solea solea, used for food.
2. any other flatfish of the families Soleidae and Cynoglossidae, having a hooklike snout.
[ 1300-50; ME sola (for L solea; see SOLE 2 ), so called from its flat shape; cf. Sp suela, It soglia, Pg solha ]