Definitions
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 5th Edition.
- intransitive verb To exhale audibly in a long deep breath, as in weariness or relief.
- intransitive verb To emit a similar sound.
- intransitive verb To feel longing or grief; yearn.
- intransitive verb To express with or as if with an audible exhalation.
- intransitive verb Archaic To lament.
- noun The act or sound of sighing.
from The Century Dictionary.
- To heave or draw a sigh (see
sigh , n.); make an audible inspiration and expiration indicative of some emotion; make an expressive respiratory sound: as, tosigh with grief or disappointment, or (less commonly) from satisfaction or the sense of relief. - Hence To experience an oppressive mental sensation; yearn or long, as from a special access of emotion or desire: often with for: as, to
sigh for the good old times. - To make a sound resembling or suggestive of a sigh; sound with gentle or subdued mournfulness: said of things, especially the wind and its effects.
- To emit, use, or act upon or in regard to with sighs or in sighing; utter, express, lament, etc., with sighing utterance or feeling: used poetically with much latitude: as, to
sigh out one's love, pleasure, or grief. - See
sie . - A Middle English preterit of see.
- noun A sudden involuntary deep-drawn inspiration of breath, followed by its more or less audible expiration, usually expressive of some emotion or sensation: as, a sigh of grief, chagrin, relief, pleasure, or fatigue.
from the GNU version of the Collaborative International Dictionary of English.
- intransitive verb To inhale a larger quantity of air than usual, and immediately expel it; to make a deep single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, or the like.
- intransitive verb Hence, to lament; to grieve.
- intransitive verb To make a sound like sighing.
- transitive verb To exhale (the breath) in sighs.
- transitive verb To utter sighs over; to lament or mourn over.
- transitive verb To express by sighs; to utter in or with sighs.
- noun A deep and prolonged audible inspiration or respiration of air, as when fatigued or grieved; the act of sighing.
- noun Figuratively, a manifestation of grief; a lan�ent.
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License.
- noun A deep and prolonged audible
inspiration orrespiration of air, as whenfatigued ,frustrated ,grieved , orrelieved ; the act of sighing. - noun Figuratively, a manifestation of
grief ; alament . - noun Cockney rhyming slang A person who is
bored . - verb intransitive To inhale a larger quantity of air than usual, and immediately expel it; to make a deep single audible respiration, especially as the result or involuntary expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, frustration, or the like.
- verb intransitive To lament; to grieve.
- verb intransitive To utter sighs over; to lament or mourn over.
- verb intransitive To experience an emotion associated with sighing.
- verb intransitive To make a sound like sighing.
- verb transitive To exhale (the breath) in sighs.
- verb transitive To express by sighs; to utter in or with sighs.
- verb transitive, archaic To utter sighs over; to lament or mourn over.
- interjection An expression of fatigue, exhaustion, grief, sorrow, frustration, or the like, often used in casual written contexts.
from WordNet 3.0 Copyright 2006 by Princeton University. All rights reserved.
- verb heave or utter a sigh; breathe deeply and heavily
- verb utter with a sigh
- noun a sound like a person sighing
- noun an utterance made by exhaling audibly
Etymologies
from The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, 4th Edition
from Wiktionary, Creative Commons Attribution/Share-Alike License
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Examples
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Im gonna have to sigh here... *sigh*... because as usual, New York's there and it's tiny, ignored neighbor, New Jersey, is not...
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I have to take back my words * hangs head in shame* I reali dun bloody believe this but * sigh sigh* WE GOT IN ..
whiteplum Diary Entry whiteplum 2004
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The original reading is, not a _spendthrift's_ sigh, but a _spendthrift_ sigh; a _sigh_ that makes an unnecessary waste of the vital flame.
Notes to Shakespeare, Volume III: The Tragedies Samuel Johnson 1746
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*nawt sure iffin et iz a “tummy-iz-beli-ful” sigh, oar a “yeah-wintur-iz-heer” sigh, butt! et iz a big sigh*
Video: Ninja Kitteh Does A Fence Jump - Lolcats 'n' Funny Pictures of Cats - I Can Has Cheezburger? 2009
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He could feel the collective sigh from the attendants.
Superhero Nation: how to write superhero novels and comic books » Call’s Review Forum 2009
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If you read these three books you won't need me, sigh is the next entry in this blog.
I get email... Reader Tim challenges me with "Khaki" - dfi 2009
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When blushing Love first breathes its virgin sigh,
The Age Reviewed 2010
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A creak; a sigh; is it just the evening breeze, or something more sinister?
Archive 2008-10-01 2008
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A creak; a sigh; is it just the evening breeze, or something more sinister?
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Human†¦ I see human long time ago. †The small lie caught a sigh from the hunter, and when the man stood he kicked the little guy in the side.
365 tomorrows » 2006 » January : A New Free Flash Fiction SciFi Story Every Day 2006
sonofgroucho commented on the word sigh
Isn't this a nice little word? Ahhhhhhh!!
November 5, 2007
skipvia commented on the word sigh
Indeed, a beautiful and very evocative word that finally prompted me to create this list of similarly powerful, small words. Additions are welcome.
November 5, 2007
Prolagus commented on the word sigh
Skipvia,
which list?
April 3, 2008
bilby commented on the word sigh
Try this.
April 3, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word sigh
Wordie is quiet today. *sigh*
December 19, 2008
Telofy commented on the word sigh
And for me most of you guys and she-guys have unfavorable timezones...
December 19, 2008
reesetee commented on the word sigh
*runs into room with clashing cymbals*
Does that help?
December 19, 2008
chained_bear commented on the word sigh
Hey! It's a party!!
*blaring trumpets*
December 19, 2008
PossibleUnderscore commented on the word sigh
What is wrong with the third pronunciation from 'Onomatopoeia'? It sounds like a drunk and dying pig.
December 1, 2009
bilby commented on the word sigh
*Mulls - Do I want to know what expertise Undies has with drunk and dying pigs?*
*runs*
December 1, 2009
PossibleUnderscore commented on the word sigh
*becupcakes marsupial as he scampers away*
Mind your own business! It wasn't my fault my pig found my store of alcohol! He was dying anyway I tell you!
December 1, 2009
reesetee commented on the word sigh
That's what they all say.
December 2, 2009
PossibleUnderscore commented on the word sigh
becupcakes reesetee. (who(m?) I think still hasn't gotten over the last becupcaking from the trebuchet)
*sigh*
Farewell cupcakes, farewell pig.
December 2, 2009
reesetee commented on the word sigh
I haven't. Why, I've barely had time to unbecupcake myself.
December 2, 2009
PossibleUnderscore commented on the word sigh
Sorry. Next time I'll wait until you're ready.
December 2, 2009