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  1. sotto voce love

Definitions

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

  1. adv. In soft tones, so as not to be overheard; in an undertone: "There were aspersions cast, sotto voce, but knees quickly folded into curtsies when introductions were in order” ( Barbara Lazear Ascher).
  2. adv. Music In very soft tones. Used chiefly as a direction.

Wiktionary

  1. adj. of speech, of a voice, etc In soft tones; quiet.
  2. adj. music soft (can be used of instruments other than the voice, such as pianos)
  3. adv. of speech, of a voice, etc (speaking) quietly
  4. adv. music (spoken or played) softly (can be used of instruments other than the voice, such as pianos)
  5. n. music A direction in a score that a passage in a piece should be played softly (or sung 'under the voice', when applied to vocal music).

GNU Webster's 1913

  1. (Mus.) With a restrained voice or moderate force; in an undertone.
  2. Spoken low or in an undertone.

WordNet 3.0

  1. adv. in an undertone

Etymologies

  1. From Italian, literally "low voice". (Wiktionary)
  2. Italian : sotto, under + voce, voice. (American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition)

Examples

  • ““I even went and called out round the Gentlemen’s,” he said sotto voce to me.”

    The Rising of the Moon

  • “Mr Hornblower," said the voice — it was Eccles putting a world of exasperation into his sotto voce question — "cannot you keep your men quiet?”

    Mr. Midshipman Easy

  • “One of the men cheered sotto voce -- probably Case.”

    Fictionaut: New Race

  • “What Hornblower remembered most vividly of the interview that followed was Frere's first sotto voce whisper to Perceval — "He's safe" — which he overheard.”

    Flying Colours

  • “315 Certain parts should be recited aloud (jahr) and others sotto voce (with mussitation = Khafi).”

    The Book of The Thousand Nights And A Night

  • “I wonder if there was ever such a conspiracy in the history of war: two generals intent on scuppering their own army, confabulating sotto voce with an agent from the enemy, while their commanders waited impatiently out-side for the word that (with luck) would send them marching to ruin?”

    Flashman and the Mountain of Light

  • “Mr. Latham asked me to put this into your hands," Mr. Trevelyan explained sotto voce as he slipped the baronet a letter.”

    The English Witch

  • “Partisan political jockeying didn’t help matters, as Democrats in Washington blamed any and all problems on President Dwight Eisenhower’s incompetence while Republicans spoke sotto voce of a mysterious, Democrat-fueled “black market” that was siphoning off valuable supplies.”

    Simon & Schuster: The Panic Virus

  • “I called the torrent of self-protective leaks by CIA and FBI sotto voce spokesmen “a misdirection play,” and defined this as a move by an adept offensive lineman: “He blocks his man toward the center; as the defender pushes back hard, the misdirecting lineman gives way, seemingly overcome by the countercharge—as his running back scoots through the hole near the center left by the defender.””

    Simon & Schuster: The Right Word in the Right Place at the Right Time

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reverse dictionary (3)

Words that contain this word in their definition

  1. sotto
  1. sotto voce
  1. Amidah

tags (3)

Free-form, user-generated categorization

  1. music
  1. singing
  1. vocal music

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Comments

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  • Casey "'Everybody's a goddam critic,' Susannah said sotto voce." From Wizard and Glass by Stephen King. Jan 10, 2011

  • skipvia I was surprised to find Teach Me Tiger the other day on iTunes. I bought it for old times' sake. Feb 10, 2008

  • treeseed Skipvia...I never heard that song but I do love the Deep Purple cheese of April Stevens and Nino Tempo. Feb 10, 2008

  • skipvia April Stevens' use of sotto voce on Teach Me Tiger got her banned from many radio stations because her whispered moans were considered too "suggestive."

    An amusing song that should have been banned simply because it was so bad. Feb 10, 2008

  • treeseed Sotto voce (literally "under voice"), an Italian expression, means to speak under one's breath or to speak confidentially. In music, a dramatic lowering of the vocal or instrumental tone -- not necessarily pianissimo, but with a hushed quality. May also denote muttering in theatrical or film scripts. Actual translation means "Soft Voice".
    _Wikipedia Feb 10, 2008

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‘sotto voce’ has been looked up 2004 times, loved by 2 people, added to 47 lists, commented on 5 times, and is not a valid Scrabble word.