Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SOUND, n.⁵ [Sax. son; W. swn; Ir. soin; Fr. son; It. suono; Sp. son; L. sonus, from sono, to sound, sing, rattle beat, &c. This may be a dialectical variation of L. tonus, tono, which seems to be allied to Gr. τεινω, to stretch or strain, L. teneo.]

1. Noise; report; the object of hearing; that which strike the ear; or more philosophically, an impression or the effect of an impression made on the organs of hearing by an impulse or vibration of the air, caused by a collision of bodies or by other means; as, the sound of a trumpet or drum; the sound of the human voice; a horrid sound; a charming sound; a sharp sound; high sound.
2. A vibration of air caused by a collision of bodies or other means, sufficient to affect the auditory nerves when perfect. Some persons are so entirely deaf that they can not hear the loudest sounds. Audible sounds are such as are perceptible by the organs of hearing. Sounds not audible to men, may be audible to animals of more sensible organs.
3. Noise without signification; empty noise; noise and nothing else. It is the sense and not the sound, that must be the principle. – Locke.