SOLE


Meaning of SOLE in English

I. ˈsōl noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French, from Latin solea sandal, a flatfish

Date: 13th century

: any of various flatfishes (family Soleidae) having a small mouth, small or rudimentary fins, and small eyes placed close together and including important food fishes (as the European Dover sole) ; also : any of various mostly market flatfishes (as lemon sole) of other families (as Pleuronectidae)

II. noun

Etymology: Middle English, from Anglo-French sole, soele, from Latin solea sandal; akin to Latin solum base, ground, soil

Date: 14th century

1.

a. : the undersurface of a foot

b. : the part of an item of footwear on which the sole rests and upon which the wearer treads

2. : the usually flat or flattened bottom or lower part of something or the base on which something rests

• soled ˈsōld adjective

III. transitive verb

( soled ; sol·ing )

Date: circa 1570

1. : to furnish with a sole

sole a shoe

2. : to place the sole of (a golf club) on the ground

IV. adjective

Etymology: Middle English, alone, from Anglo-French sul, soul, seul, from Latin solus

Date: 14th century

1. : not married — used chiefly of women

2. archaic : having no companion : solitary

3.

a. : having no sharer

b. : being the only one

she was her mother's sole support

4. : functioning independently and without assistance or interference

let conscience be the sole judge

5. : belonging exclusively or otherwise limited to one usually specified individual, unit, or group

• sole·ness ˈsōl-nəs noun

Merriam-Webster's Collegiate English vocabulary.      Энциклопедический словарь английского языка Merriam Webster.