noun phrase General Slang

sound out

· noun phrase · irish

A genuinely decent, trustworthy person — the highest Irish compliment with minimum fuss.

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Definitions

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A solid, reliable, good-hearted person. In Ireland 'sound' on its own already means decent or trustworthy — sticking 'out' on the end intensifies it into a proper character endorsement. Calling someone a sound out is about as warm as Irish praise gets without anyone getting embarrassed.

“Ah Mick? He's a sound out — gave me a lift home and wouldn't take a fiver for petrol.”
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sound out In A Sentence

Ah Mick? He's a sound out — gave me a lift home and wouldn't take a fiver for petrol.

Origin & Usage

Extension of Hiberno-English 'sound' (good, reliable), itself from older British slang for something solid or trustworthy. The 'out' tag is an Irish intensifier pattern, similar to 'gas out' or 'mad out'.

Variants a sound outsound out of it
Tags #irish#ireland#hiberno-english#compliment#people

People Also Ask

What does "sound out" mean in Irish slang?

It describes a genuinely decent, trustworthy person — one of the highest compliments in Ireland, delivered with minimum fuss.

How do you use "sound out" in a sentence?

"He gave me a lift home without even asking — he's a sound out."

Is "sound out" a compliment?

Yes, very much so. Calling someone a sound out is high praise, marking them as reliable and good-natured.

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