re-sound
Very Low / Rare (C2)Formal / Technical / Literary
Definition
Meaning
To sound again or to echo.
To cause something to be heard again or repeated; to reverberate; also, to be filled with sound again. May imply a literal or metaphorical echo or recurrence.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The hyphen distinguishes it from the common verb 'resound'. It is almost always transitive. It often carries a formal, deliberate, or technical nuance, suggesting a repeated or echoed sonic event rather than a continuous, loud one.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant difference in meaning or use. It is equally rare in both varieties.
Connotations
Slightly archaic or highly deliberate. In technical/audio contexts, it may be used precisely.
Frequency
Extremely low frequency in both dialects. More likely to be encountered in poetry, old texts, or specific technical manuals than in everyday speech.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[NP] re-sound [NP] (transitive)[NP] be re-sounded (passive)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “[No common idioms for this specific form]”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Virtually unused.
Academic
Possible in literary analysis or historical texts discussing sound or music.
Everyday
Extremely unlikely. Would likely be replaced by 'echo', 'go off again', or 'sound again'.
Technical
Possible in audio engineering or musicology to describe playing a recorded sound again or triggering a sample repeatedly.
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The town crier was asked to re-sound the curfew bell.
- The engineer had to re-sound the test tone for calibration.
American English
- They decided to re-sound the fire alarm as a second drill.
- The composer's notes instruct the cello to re-sound the motif.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The ancient bell was re-sounded for the king's visit.
- After the silence, a single note was re-sounded.
- The historian proposed to re-sound the trumpet call using period instruments to understand its acoustic impact.
- Memories of the war re-sounded in his mind whenever he visited the old battlefield.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: 'RE-play a SOUND' = re-sound. The hyphen is like a 'repeat' button for a noise.
Conceptual Metaphor
TIME IS A CYCLE (the sound event recurs); MEMORY IS AN ECHO (past events re-sound in the mind).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'resound' (звучать, раздаваться). The hyphen is critical. 'Re-sound' is лучше переводить как 'прозвучать снова', 'повторить звук', 'дать повторный сигнал'.
- Avoid translating it as 'отражать звук' (to reflect sound), which is more 'echo'.
Common Mistakes
- Omitting the hyphen, thus writing 'resound' (a different, more common verb).
- Using it intransitively (e.g., 'The hall re-sounded' is less standard; 'resounded' or 'echoed' is preferred).
- Overusing this rare word where simpler alternatives exist.
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary function of the hyphen in 're-sound'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. 'Re-sound' (with a hyphen) means 'to sound again'. 'Resound' (no hyphen) is a more common verb meaning 'to fill a place with sound' or 'to echo continuously'.
Almost never in everyday English. Use it only in very formal, literary, or technical contexts where you need to explicitly mark the 'again' meaning and avoid confusion with 'resound'. In 99% of cases, 'sound again', 'echo', or 'repeat' is better.
Yes, in metaphorical or literary use. For example, 'The warning re-sounded in her conscience' is possible, though still rare and stylistically marked.
It is pronounced with primary stress on 'sound' and secondary stress on 're-': /ˌriːˈsaʊnd/ (UK), /ˌriˈsaʊnd/ (US). This is identical to the pronunciation of the verb 'resound', which is why the written hyphen is so important for clarity.