sole

Meanings

1. 1
   verb

   put a new sole on

   sole the shoes

2. 2
   adj

   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.

3. 3
   adj

   Unique; unsurpassed.

   The sole brilliance of this gem.

4. 4
   adj

   With independent power; unfettered.

   A sole authority.

5. 5
   noun

   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.

6. 6
   noun

   The foot itself.

   Hast wandred through the world now long a day;Yet ceasest not thy wearie soles to lead

7. 7
   noun

   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.

8. 8
   adj

   not divided or shared with others

Etymology

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).