sober English · revision 15142

+ {{infobox|confidence=established|formation=borrowing|attested=1338|origins=la sōbrius}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: UK /ˈsəʊ.bə/, US /ˈsoʊ.bɚ/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|sobre]], [[bor|fro|sobre|t=decent, sober]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986)^(NODE 1998) or directly [[la|sōbrius|t=not drunk, temperate, sensible]],^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline) from a variant of [[m|la|sē-|t=apart, without]] and [[m|la|ēbrius|t=drunk]], which is of unknown origin.^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)^(MWU 2024)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ Moderate, temperate in food and drink: 1338 in the OED, 1340 in the Ayenbite of Inwyt in Barnhart, the mid-14th century in Etymonline.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ Not given to strong drink is from 1382,^(OED 1989) and not drunk at the moment from about 1384, in the Wycliffe Bible.^(Barnhart 1988) Serious or solemn is from before 1390,^(Barnhart 1988) plain or subdued in colour from the 1590s,^(Etymonline) and restrained in thought from the 17th century.^(Hoad 1986) Jocular ''sobersides'', a serious person, is from 1705.^(Etymonline) The verb first meant to calm or console (about 1375);^(Barnhart 1988) to free from intoxication is by 1706, to bring back to reality by 1838, and to become sober from 1820, often with ''up''.^(Etymonline) Sobriety is from the 15th century.^(Hoad 1986)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * 1338 – temperate.^(OED 1989)

+ * c. 1375 – to calm (verb).^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * c. 1384 – not drunk.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * before 1390 – serious, solemn.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1590s – of colours, plain.^(Etymonline)

+ * 1820 – to become sober.^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Adjective===

+ # Not drunk.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Habitually temperate; not given to excess in drink or anything else.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Serious, sedate and rational: ''a sober attitude''.^(Collins 2023)^(AHD)

+ # Of colours, plain or subdued.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Free from exaggeration: ''the sober truth''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To make or become sober, often with ''up''.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[soberly]]

+ * [[soberness]]

+ * [[soberingly]]

+ * [[sobersided]]

+ * [[sobersides]]

+ * [[soberize]]

+ * [[unsober]]

+ * [[unsobered]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[sobriety]]

+ * [[inebriate]]

+ * [[ebriety]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}