making or having a sound as specified; used as a combining form harsh-sounding the act of measuring depth of water (usually with a sounding line) having volume or deepness sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal the sounding cataract haunted me like a passion appearing to be as specified; usually used as combining forms left their clothes dirty looking a most disagreeable looking character angry-looking liquid-looking severe-looking policemen on noble horses fine-sounding phrases taken in by high-sounding talk a measure of the depth of water taken with a sounding line