I. ˈsōl noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin solea sandal (consisting of a sole with a strap across the instep); akin to Latin solum base, ground, soil
1.
a.
(1) : the undersurface of a foot or that part of it which is placed on the ground in walking or standing
(2) : the somewhat concave plate of moderately dense horn that covers the lower surface of the coffin bone in the horse, partly surrounds the frog, and is bounded externally by the wall
b. : foot
2. : the part of a shoe or other article of footwear on which the sole of the foot rests and upon which the wearer treads ; specifically : a shaped piece of leather, rubber, or other material forming the bottom or a layer of the bottom of a shoe and often excluding the heel — compare half sole , insole , midsole , outsole , slipsole ; see shoe illustration
3. : the bottom or lower part of something or the base on which something rests: as
a. obsolete : the foundation or site of a building or city
b.
(1) chiefly dialect : the sill of a window or door
(2) : the horizontal plate on which the studs of a partition bear
(3) : solepiece
(4) : either of two planks resting one on each side on a sliding ways and forming the foundation of the cradle that supports a ship during building
c. : the hearth or flooring of a furnace, oven, or other heating device
d. : the floor of drift, level, or working in a mine
e.
(1) : the undersurface of a plane through which the blade projects
(2) : the bottom of the body of a plow
f. : the floor of a cabin on a ship
g. chiefly dialect : the underframe of a vehicle (as a wagon or cart)
h. : the bottom of the inside of a gas retort
i. : the flattened bottom surface of a golf club head
4.
a. : the underlying layers of land and especially of arable land : subsoil
b. : the layer of intertwined roots that forms the base of sod or turf
c. : the bottom of a furrow
d. : the lowest part of a valley
II. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
1. : to furnish with a sole
sole a shoe
2. : to serve as a base for or bottom of
3. : to place the sole of (a golf club) on the ground (as in addressing a ball)
III. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English, from Middle French, from Latin solea sandal, a flatfish (from its shape) — more at sole I
1. : any of various flatfishes constituting the family Soleidae, having a small mouth beyond which the snout projects more or less, reduced or rudimentary pelvic and often also pectoral and caudal fins, small gill openings, and small eyes placed close together, and including superior food fishes (as Solea solea of Europe) and others too small to be of commercial value — compare flounder
2. : any of various flatfishes of families other than Soleidae especially when for table use — usually used with a qualifying term; see petrale sole , sand sole
IV. adjective
Etymology: Middle English soul, sool, sole alone, celibate, from Middle French seul, sol alone, from Latin solus; probably akin to Latin sed, se without — more at idiot
1. : having no spouse : unmarried — used chiefly of women
2. : having no companion : solitary , lonely
sitting sole by the hearth
3.
a. : having no sharer (as in a right or status) : being the only one
the sole heir
the sole product of all this industry
b. : of unmatched quality or kind : unique
4. : functioning (as in acting, working, moving) independently and without assistance or interference
the sole author of this scheme
let conscience be the sole judge
5. obsolete
a. : that is such and no other : mere
b. : alone
6. : belonging, granted, or attributed to the one person or group specified : independently accomplished, held, or developed : exclusively exercised : unshared
the sole power of the Congress
sole rights of publication
sometimes : entire
sole jurisdiction
Synonyms: see single
V. adverb
: solely
VI. transitive verb
( -ed/-ing/-s )
Etymology: origin unknown
: to pull roughly