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sigh
[ sahy ]
verb (used without object)
- to let out one's breath audibly, as from sorrow, weariness, or relief.
- to yearn or long; pine.
- to make a sound suggesting a sigh:
sighing wind.
verb (used with object)
- to express or utter with a sigh.
- to lament with sighing.
noun
- the act or sound of sighing.
sigh
/ saɪ /
verb
- intr to draw in and exhale audibly a deep breath as an expression of weariness, despair, relief, etc
- intr to make a sound resembling this
trees sighing in the wind
- introften foll byfor to yearn, long, or pine
- tr to utter or express with sighing
noun
- the act or sound of sighing
Derived Forms
- ˈsigher, noun
Other Words From
- sigher noun
- outsigh verb (used with object)
- un·sighing adjective
Word History and Origins
Origin of sigh1
Word History and Origins
Origin of sigh1
Example Sentences
Though there are flourishes of new material, disciples of composer Stephen Schwartz’s songs can breathe a sigh of relief knowing that the changes are minor but welcome.
As the sun sets on the audition process, Miss Jickells, who was first through the door, breathes a sigh of relief.
The deep sigh the Chargers defensive coordinator released to begin his answer said more than any of the words that followed.
I sigh with relief as it deftly turns and continues in the direction we have just come.
As Trump was declared the projected winner in the swing state of North Carolina, a collective sigh filled the ballroom.
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More About Sigh
What does sigh mean?
Sigh, an audible exhalation, conveys a broad range of emotions from sadness and disappointment to sarcasm and relief. People frequently write it out online to express such sentiments.
Where does sigh come from?
We’ve been sighing long before it was written down. It was first recorded around the 1300s as both a noun and a verb. In Middle English literature, we see many sighs in longing for love, for instance, or other worldly woes.
As online writing can’t always convey tone, typing out sigh became particularly useful and common as the internet took off in the 1990s–2000s. So much so, in fact, that in the 2000s, the mock French le sigh—with le a French article for “the”—became a humorous way to show frustration, weariness, or other emotions.
I have acquired a painful set of loneliness… Le sigh. pic.twitter.com/LWTopFBXz6
— Sarah Faye O'Connor (@SarahFOConnor) November 14, 2018
How is sigh used in real life?
In digital communication, people write out sigh in commentary on–or reaction to–various content. It is also used to mark the tone on a post or message.
Often, sigh written just as sigh after a remark or on its own. It may also be written as *sigh*, the asterisks acting like stage directions. Some even write le sigh for emphasis or irony.
All is restored! le sigh pic.twitter.com/JpY5SKuuQK
— Corlon Evans (@Corlon_Evans) November 12, 2018
Internet sigh’s are as versatile as real-life sighs, and they’ve migrated from social media to web article headlines. They can be issued in complaint, annoyance, disappointment, resignation, even wistful yearning.
Gosh she was pretty *sigh* ♥️ pic.twitter.com/MwwlheUKpr
— Ǥαβʀιεlα 🦎🐲 (@noir_or_never) October 20, 2018
Good Morning from the Golden Retriever Channel. M and the kids are up early. Let's get a little wet. One of the kids wants a ride on the Purple Submarine. It's going to be a long day *sigh*
(Nicholberrygoldens IG) pic.twitter.com/o0tEWoBMIb
— Golden Retriever Channel (@GoldretrieverUS) May 21, 2020
Note
This content is not meant to be a formal definition of this term. Rather, it is an informal summary that seeks to provide supplemental information and context important to know or keep in mind about the term’s history, meaning, and usage.
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