From Middle English sole, soule, from Old French sol, soul (“alone”), from Latin sōlus (“alone, single, solitary, lonely”). Ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *swé (reflexive pronoun). Perhaps related to Old Latin sollus (“whole, complete”), from Proto-Indo-European *solh₂- (“safe, healthy”). More at save.
Meanings
(not-comparable) Only.
He saw now clearly that the sole crew of the vessel was these two dead men, and though he could not see their faces, he saw by their outstretched hands, which were all of ragged flesh, that they had been subjected to some strange exceptional process of decay. 1905, H. G. Wells, The Empire of the Ants:
(not-comparable) Unmarried (especially of a woman); widowed.
(not-comparable) Unique; unsurpassed.
The sole brilliance of this gem.
(not-comparable) With independent power; unfettered.
From Middle English sole, soole, from Old English sole, solu. Reinforced by Anglo-Norman sole, Old French sole, from Vulgar Latin *sola (“bottom of the shoe”, also “flatfish”), from Latin solea (“sandal, bottom of the shoe”), from Proto-Indo-European *swol- (“sole”). Cognate with Dutch zool (“sole, tread”), German Sohle (“sole, insole, bottom, floor”), Danish sål (“sole”), Icelandic sóli (“sole, outsole”), Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌻𐌾𐌰 (sulja, “sandal”). Related to Latin solum (“bottom, ground, soil”). More at soil.
Compare typologically Russian по́чва (póčva) akin to подо́шва (podóšva).
Meanings
The bottom or plantar surface of the foot.
(qualifier:footwear) The bottom of a shoe or boot.
The Caliga was a military Shoe, with a very thick Sole, tied above the instep with leather Thongs. 1727, John Arbuthnot, Tables of Ancient Coins, Weights and Measures. Explain'd and exemplify'd in several dissertations, page 147:
(obsolete) The foot itself.
Hast wandred through the world now long a day;Yet ceasest not thy wearie soles to lead 1590, Edmund Spenser, “Book I, Canto X”, in The Faerie Queene. […], London: […] [John Wolfe] for William Ponsonbie, →OCLC, stanza 9:
But the doue found no rest for the sole of her foote, and she returned vnto him into the Arke: […] 1611, The Holy Bible, […] (King James Version), London: […] Robert Barker, […], →OCLC, Genesis 8:9:
Solea solea, a flatfish of the family Soleidae; a true sole.
The fishermen crowding in the cafés were also waiting for the end of the storm, when the fish, reassured, would rise to the surface after the bait. Soles, hog fish and skate were returning from their nocturnal expeditions. Day was now breaking. 1952, Nikos Kazantzakis, chapter 1, in Carl Wildman, transl., Zorba the Greek, New York, N.Y.: Simon & Schuster, translation of Βίος και πολιτεία του Αλέξη Ζορμπά [Víos kai politeía tou Aléxi Zormpá], →ISBN, page 3:
(broadly) A flatfish resembling those of the family Soleidae.
The bottom or lower part of anything, or that on which anything rests in standing. ▸ The bottom of the body of a plough; the slade.
The bottom or lower part of anything, or that on which anything rests in standing. ▸ The bottom of a furrow.
The bottom or lower part of anything, or that on which anything rests in standing. ▸ The end section of the chanter of a set of bagpipes.
The bottom or lower part of anything, or that on which anything rests in standing. ▸ The horny substance under a horse's foot, which protects the more tender parts.
The bottom or lower part of anything, or that on which anything rests in standing. ▸ The bottom of an embrasure.
The bottom or lower part of anything, or that on which anything rests in standing. ▸ A piece of timber attached to the lower part of the rudder, to make it even with the false keel.
The rudder remains to be repaired, and is unshipped for the purpose; the sole of it is entirely gone 1842, The Nautical Magazine:
The bottom or lower part of anything, or that on which anything rests in standing. ▸ The floor inside the cabin of a yacht or boat
The seat or bottom of a mine; applied to horizontal veins or lodes.
be падно́сак (bottom of a shoe or boot) · io soleo (fish) · no sjøtunge (fish) · bg морски език (fish) · ota دل بالغی (fish) · gl planta (bottom of the foot) · hu talp (bottom of the foot) · eo plando (bottom of the foot) · vo sölit (fish) · id sol (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ta உள்ளங்கால் (bottom of the foot) · ja 足裏 (bottom of the foot) · fi jalkapohja (bottom of the foot) · pms sòla (bottom of the foot) · ml ഉള്ളംകാൽ (bottom of the foot) · ga sól coiteann (fish) · cmn 腳底板 /脚底板 (bottom of the foot) · it pianta (bottom of the foot) · bo རྡོག་པ (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ro solă (fish) · pdt Sol (bottom of a shoe or boot) · es planta podal (bottom of the foot) · sw wayo (bottom of the foot) · hu cipőtalp (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ne पैताला (bottom of the foot) · nan-hbl 跤跡底 /跤迹底 (bottom of the foot) · be падэ́шва (bottom of the foot) · ko 발바닥 (bottom of the foot) · skr تَلّی (bottom of the foot) · gld палган (bottom of the foot) · cmn 鰨魚 /鳎鱼 (fish) · arz نعل (bottom of a shoe or boot) · my ခြေဖဝါး (bottom of the foot) · nl zool (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ro talpă (bottom of the foot) · vo gumasömäl (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ar بَاطِن القَدَم (bottom of the foot) · yi פּאַדעשווע (bottom of a shoe or boot) · nan-hbl 鞋底 (bottom of a shoe or boot) · fr plante (bottom of the foot) · ru подо́шва (bottom of the foot) · cs podrážka (bottom of a shoe or boot) · fi pohja (bottom of a shoe or boot) · sl podplat (bottom of a shoe or boot) · fi antura (bottom of a shoe or boot) · cop ⲡⲉⲗⲙⲁ (bottom of the foot) · ast llinguáu (fish) · ko 구두창 (bottom of a shoe or boot) · yue 龍脷 /龙脷 (fish) · alt ылтам (bottom of the foot) · cmn 鞋底子 (bottom of a shoe or boot) · mn тах (bottom of a shoe or boot) · sh поплaт (bottom of the foot) · ar نَعْل (bottom of a shoe or boot) · cmn 腳底 /脚底 (bottom of the foot) · lij léngoa (fish) · de Seezunge (fish) · ht pla pye (bottom of the foot) · prg plasmena (bottom of the foot) · mk ѓон (bottom of a shoe or boot) · it sogliola (fish) · la planta (bottom of the foot) · es lenguado (fish) · ttj ekiganja ky'ekigere class 7 (bottom of the foot) · bcl rapandapan (bottom of the foot) · sv sjötunga (fish) · ga bonn (bottom of the foot) · sh đon (bottom of a shoe or boot) · gl sola (bottom of a shoe or boot) · af voetsool (bottom of the foot) · ky ултаң (bottom of a shoe or boot) · fo il (bottom of the foot) · hak 鞋底 (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ro limbă-de-mare (fish) · nl schoenzool (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ca planta del peu (bottom of the foot) · cy gwadn (bottom of the foot) · el πέλμα (bottom of the foot) · tft saha (bottom of the foot) · hi नाल (bottom of a shoe or boot) · is sóli (bottom of a shoe or boot) · pl podeszwa (bottom of the foot) · sh poplat (bottom of the foot) · de Schuhsohle (bottom of a shoe or boot) · nl tong (fish) · ht plan pye (bottom of the foot) · nv akétłʼááh (bottom of the foot) · mi pātiki rore (fish) · alt таман (bottom of the foot) · hu nyelvhal (fish) · cmn 鞋底 (bottom of a shoe or boot) · fr sole (fish) · eve халган (bottom of the foot) · gd bonn (bottom of the foot) · nrf s'melle (bottom of a shoe or boot) · lo ຝ່າ (bottom of the foot) · nl zeetong (fish) · vo futaplant (bottom of the foot) · sq shputë (bottom of the foot) · zdj karo (bottom of the foot) · uk підо́шва (bottom of a shoe or boot) · be падэ́шва (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ta உள்ளடி (bottom of the foot) · es suela (bottom of a shoe or boot) · af skoensool (bottom of a shoe or boot) · is skósóli (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ang fōtwielm (bottom of the foot) · izh jalanpohja (bottom of the foot) · ast llinguáu de verdá (fish) · pl podeszwa (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ru подмётка (bottom of a shoe or boot) · cmn 腳板 /脚板 (bottom of the foot) · ky ултаң (bottom of the foot) · hy կոշկատակ (bottom of a shoe or boot) · sv skosula (bottom of a shoe or boot) · nl voetzool (bottom of the foot) · es planta (bottom of the foot) · cs chodidlo (bottom of the foot) · nb såle (bottom of the foot) · ro talpă (bottom of a shoe or boot) · hi तलवा (bottom of the foot) · ml നങ്ക് (fish) · fa-ira کف پا (bottom of the foot) · alt ылтам (bottom of a shoe or boot) · alt ултаҥ (bottom of the foot) · ka ძირი (bottom of the foot) · da søtunge (fish) · hy ոտնատակ (bottom of the foot) · pox šoľo (fish) · sh ђон (bottom of a shoe or boot) · eo plandumo (bottom of a shoe or boot) · da fodsål (bottom of the foot) · vo butasömäl (bottom of a shoe or boot) · lut sc'áχəč (fish) · ary صول (fish) · pt solha (fish) · nn sole (bottom of the foot) · sip རྐང་ཐིལ (bottom of the foot) · km បាតជើង (bottom of the foot) · th ฝ่า (bottom of the foot) · gd bonn (bottom of a shoe or boot) · bo རྐང་མཐིལ (bottom of the foot) · vo jukasömäl (bottom of a shoe or boot) · bg стъпало (bottom of the foot) · ast llinguáu finu (fish) · gl linguado (fish) · he סוֹל (fish) · ar سَمَك مُوسَى (fish) · alt ултаҥ (bottom of a shoe or boot) · la solea (fish) · el σόλα (bottom of a shoe or boot) · tr dil balığı (fish) · mi tarore (fish) · da sål (bottom of the foot) · ro pingea (bottom of a shoe or boot) · af sool (bottom of a shoe or boot) · os фад (bottom of the foot) · la solea (bottom of a shoe or boot) · cop ϣⲟⲡ ⲛⲣⲁⲧ (bottom of the foot) · ar بَاطِن الرِجْل (bottom of the foot) · pt planta do pé (bottom of the foot) · ar أَخْمُص (bottom of the foot) · ca sola (bottom of a shoe or boot) · sv sula (bottom of a shoe or boot) · lb Fousssuel (bottom of the foot) · vo sömäl (bottom of a shoe or boot) · arz ساس (bottom of the foot) · it suola (bottom of a shoe or boot) · gld палган (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ga teanga chait (fish) · tl talampakan (bottom of the foot) · ru морско́й язы́к (fish) · fr semelle (bottom of a shoe or boot) · hu talp (bottom of a shoe or boot) · pt sola (bottom of a shoe or boot) · sq shollë (bottom of the foot) · af sool (bottom of the foot) · hy ներբան (bottom of the foot) · nb såle (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ga sól (fish) · mk ѓон (bottom of the foot) · sv fotsula (bottom of the foot) · bg подме́тка (bottom of a shoe or boot) · mi kapukapu (bottom of the foot) · nb fotsåle (bottom of the foot) · mi kapu (bottom of the foot) · mi raparapa (bottom of the foot) · sk šľapa (bottom of the foot) · uk підме́тка (bottom of a shoe or boot) · pt sola (bottom of the foot) · ja 靴底 (bottom of a shoe or boot) · sh potplat (bottom of the foot) · my ဖဝါး (bottom of the foot) · eo soleo (fish) · af tongvis (fish) · hy ոտատակ (bottom of the foot) · mn зан (bottom of a shoe or boot) · da sål (bottom of a shoe or boot) · pl sola (fish) · sk podošva (bottom of the foot) · is il (bottom of the foot) · fi meriantura (fish) · kk ұлтан (bottom of a shoe or boot) · csb zôla (bottom of a shoe or boot) · arz بطن الرجل (bottom of the foot) · tr taban (bottom of the foot) · de Fußsohle (bottom of the foot) · yue 腳板底 /脚板底 (bottom of the foot) · vi bàn chân (bottom of the foot) · bg писия (fish) · arz موسى (fish) · bg таба́н (bottom of the foot) · mi pātiki (fish) · sl podplat (bottom of the foot) · sw soli (bottom of a shoe or boot) · ba табан (bottom of the foot) · yue 鞋底 (bottom of a shoe or boot) · gl solla (fish) · ta நாக்குமீன் (fish) · fr plante du pied (bottom of the foot) · fo leistur (fish) · ca llenguado (fish) · nn sole (bottom of a shoe or boot) · sh потплaт (bottom of the foot) · km បាត (bottom of the foot) · sk chodidlo (bottom of the foot) · es planta del pie (bottom of the foot) · mn ул (bottom of the foot) · arz سمك موسى (fish) · cs ploska (bottom of the foot) · he סוּלְיָה (bottom of a shoe or boot) · sk podošva (bottom of a shoe or boot) · uk підо́шва (bottom of the foot) · el γλώσσα (fish) · alt таман (bottom of a shoe or boot) · de Sohle (bottom of a shoe or boot) · nl zool (bottom of the foot) · paw askatahciriʼ (bottom of the foot) · nn fotsole (bottom of the foot) · pt linguado (fish) · mnc ᡶᠠᡨᠠᠨ (bottom of the foot) · sh та̀бан (bottom of the foot) · cop ⲧⲁⲧⲥⲓ (bottom of the foot) · ms tapak kaki (bottom of the foot) · sh tàban (bottom of the foot) · grc πέλμα (bottom of the foot) · hak 腳底 /脚底 (bottom of the foot) · hy ներբան (bottom of a shoe or boot) · mk табан (bottom of the foot) · hy պադոշ (bottom of a shoe or boot) · da skosål (bottom of a shoe or boot) · sv sula (bottom of the foot) · ru ступня (bottom of the foot) · ja 足の裏 (bottom of the foot) · cmn 腳掌 /脚掌 (bottom of the foot) · ru подо́шва (bottom of a shoe or boot) · mn ул (bottom of a shoe or boot)
From Middle English sole, soole, from Old English sole, solu. Reinforced by Anglo-Norman sole, Old French sole, from Vulgar Latin *sola (“bottom of the shoe”, also “flatfish”), from Latin solea (“sandal, bottom of the shoe”), from Proto-Indo-European *swol- (“sole”). Cognate with Dutch zool (“sole, tread”), German Sohle (“sole, insole, bottom, floor”), Danish sål (“sole”), Icelandic sóli (“sole, outsole”), Gothic 𐍃𐌿𐌻𐌾𐌰 (sulja, “sandal”). Related to Latin solum (“bottom, ground, soil”). More at soil.
Compare typologically Russian по́чва (póčva) akin to подо́шва (podóšva).
fi anturoida (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · it suolare (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · eo replandumi (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · sv sula (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · ru подбить новые подмётки (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · de besohlen (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · pl zelować (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · nb såle (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · el σολιάζω (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · csb zôlowac (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · ro pingeli (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · bg слагам подметка (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · tr pençe vurmak (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · sh pođoniti (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · nl zolen (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · hu talpal (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · nn sole (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · gl solar (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · es solar (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · pt solar (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · fr semeler (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · tr pençelemek (put a sole on (a shoe or boot)) · cs podrazit (put a sole on (a shoe or boot))
From Middle English sole, soole, from Old English sāl (“a rope, cord, line, bond, rein, door-hinge, necklace, collar”), from Proto-Germanic *sailą, *sailaz (“rope, cable”), *sailō (“noose, rein, bondage”), from Proto-Indo-European *sey- (“to tie to, tie together”). Cognate with Scots sale, saile (“halter, collar”), Dutch zeel (“rope, cord, strap”), German Seil (“rope, cable, wire”), Icelandic seil (“a string, line”). Non-Germanic cognates include Albanian dell (“sinew, vein”).
Meanings
(dialectal, obsolete) A wooden band or yoke put around the neck of an ox or cow in the stall.
From Middle English sol, from Old English sol (“mire, miry place”), from Proto-Germanic *sulą (“mire, wallow, mud”), from Proto-Indo-European *sūl- (“thick liquid”). Cognate with Saterland Frisian soal (“ditch”), Dutch sol (“water and mud filled pit”), German Suhle (“mire, wallow”), Norwegian saula, søyla (“mud puddle”). More at soil.
Meanings
(Northern-England, dialectal) A pond or pool; a dirty pond of standing water.
From earlier sowle (“to pull by the ear”). Origin unknown. Perhaps from sow (“female pig”) + -le, as in the phrase "take a sow by the wrong ear", or from Middle English sole (“rope”). See above.
Meanings
(UK, dialectal, transitive) To pull by the ears; to pull about; haul; lug.