I. ˈsōbə(r) adjective
( usually -er/-est )
Etymology: Middle English sobre, from Middle French, from Latin sobrius sober; akin to Latin ebrius drunk
1.
a.
(1) : sparing in the use of food and drink : restrained in appetite : abstemious
blank as to morals but comparatively sober in his habits — Dorothy Sayers
for him the sober path of moderation appears to be infeasible — J.V.L.Casserley
(2) archaic : moderate in amount or quantity — used especially of food or drink
b. : not given or addicted to the use of intoxicating beverages : abstinent
meet all sorts of men, from sober traveling missionaries … to drunken loafers — Rudyard Kipling
c. : free from the influence of intoxicating beverages : not drunk
authorities state that a person whose blood contains less than 0.05 percent of alcohol is sober — Quarterly Journal of Studies on Alcohol
smelt of port wine, and did not appear to be quite sober — Charles Dickens
said he was cold sober
2.
a. : indicating or expressing a thoughtful or grave character or intent
if our pupils are to devote sober attention to our instruction, we must set a high standard for ourselves — C.H.Grandgent
had gone into battle … with the sober insouciance, the lighthearted seriousness, so characteristic of the age — Walter Millis
b.
(1) : marked by staid or sedate attitude or demeanor : grave , solemn
a group of sober merchants who detested the leveling tendencies — V.L.Parrington
pensive nun, devout and pure, sober , steadfast, and demure — John Milton
the sober office of sexton — Countryman
(2) : marked by an earnest or thoughtful demeanor or frame of mind : serious
was unwontedly sober ; his customary levity had … deserted him — W.H.Wright
a sober and experienced generation, grown old on the battlefields — Sigmund Neumann
3.
a. archaic : patient or unruffled in bearing or movement : unhurried
pacing back his sober way, slowly he gained his own array — Sir Walter Scott
b. : marked by quiet or calmness : peaceful
the sun sinking into a sober sea
4. archaic : of indifferent value : slight , meager
5. chiefly Scotland
a. : in poor health : not well : feeble , ailing
b. : unpretentious , humble
6.
a. : indicating or expressing a temperate or moderate character or demeanor
the Puritans … with their sober , thrifty, industrious life — Lewis Mumford
soothes with sober words their angry mood — John Dryden
b. : marked by temperance, moderation, or seriousness of character or demeanor
the soberest and best man in that countryside, only a little hot and hasty now and then — George Eliot
the people were quiet, sober , and friendly — Upton Sinclair
c. archaic : moderate in ambition or desire
their sober wishes never learned to stray — Thomas Gray
7. : quiet or neutral in color or decoration : subdued
wore no scarlet raiment, but clothed himself in sober garments — H.O.Taylor
skies that were ashen and sober — George du Maurier
a sober Georgian colonial with simple details — American Guide Series: Michigan
8.
a. : showing no excessive or extreme qualities : restrained , reasonable , tempered
the writing is at once vivid and sober — Geographical Journal
the cleanliness, order and sober luxury of all the dwellings — Arnold Bennett
the more sober and less ecstatic types of church — W.L.Sperry
b. : carefully reasoned or considered : free from fancy or exaggeration : realistic
tried to subdue his riotous senses to the sober dictates of reason — Ellen Glasgow
was not a pose of youthful cynicism, but a sober judgment confirmed by observation and experience — V.L.Parrington
sober fact
sober truth
hope is followed by sober and critical second thought — John Dewey
9. : dictated or guided by sane and sound reason : rational
being sometimes mad, sometimes sober
Synonyms:
temperate , continent , unimpassioned : sober implies cool composure, dispassionate unprejudiced reason and analysis, or freedom from unreasonable excess
a sober book, written without hysteria or excitement — A.T.Steele
sober speech, thoughtfully reasoned and carefully prepared — Jack Gould
no young giddy thoughtless maiden, full of graces, airs, and jeers — but a sober widow — W.S.Gilbert
temperate implies moderation, self-control, and restraint operating against the excessive, extreme, extravagant, or violent
his temperate advice at the early provincial congresses aroused some opposition among the more radical leaders — W.A.Robinson
the delegates adopted a resolution threatening to rise in armed opposition if any attempt was made to coerce East Tennesseans into the Confederacy. Maynard urged the delegates to be more temperate — American Guide Series: Tennessee
continent indicates deliberate accustomed restraint on desires, especially sexual desires
had the circumstances of their lives given them opportunity they would have been sheer sensualists. Their strength was the strength of men geographically beyond temptation: the poverty of Arabia made them simple, continent, enduring — T.E.Lawrence
unimpassioned indicates lack of ardor and fervor; it may imply accustomed rationality, stoicism, or coldness
in weighed and measured unimpassioned words — Robert Browning
Stephen spoke irritably. He was tired, excited, on fire, and Deborah seemed so unimpassioned — Mary Webb
Synonym: see in addition serious .
II. verb
( sobered ; sobered ; sobering -b(ə)riŋ ; sobers )
Etymology: Middle English sobren, from sobre sober
transitive verb
1. : to make (a person) serious, grave, or thoughtful
an atmosphere of tense expectancy … that sobered everyone — J.R.Perkins
both had been sobered and sharpened by wide experience — Willa Cather
the buffet of Providence failed utterly to sober her frivolous spirit — Robert Grant †1940
a verdict for libel damages would have a tremendously sobering effect on the guilty party — Norman Cousins
2. : to make (a drunken person) sober — usually used with up
trying to sober him up before taking him home
3. : to make (something) neutral or dull in color
the lacy green of trees … is sobered by vast fields of brown earth — American Guide Series: Arkansas
intransitive verb
1. : to become sober: as
a. : to become serious or thoughtful
had sobered from youthful cavaliers into … astute businessmen — Francis Hackett
b. : to become neutral or dull in color or tone
the sunset sobered into twilight
c. : to become sober after being drunk
came home drunk and then ate … when they sobered — C.T.Jackson
— usually used with up
the offender apologizes when he sobers up — Abram Kardiner
2. : to become settled or quiet — usually used with down
sobered down and married somebody else and was as sensible as anybody — Ellen Glasgow
are so high from tension that they need half a dozen drinks to sober down — Alfred Bester