Glossary entry (derived from question below)
English term or phrase:
sounding board
English answer:
someone that you use to test your ideas, opinions, etc
Added to glossary by
Rajan Chopra
Mar 20, 2004 10:19
20 yrs ago
16 viewers *
English term
India
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Native in: Hindi 
Works in: English to Hindi, Hindi to English
sounding board
Non-PRO
English
Other
Other
You may mention to a friend that you are worried about some aspect of your baby's condition, to have that friend reply that her 'normal" baby is "just the same". If you are looking for a SOUNDING BOARD at that particular time, this quite harmless reply may be reassuring or may be quite incredibly irritating
Responses
+4
23 mins
chica nueva
Native in English
&
English
http://youtube/iraVWQu3Zf8
Native in: English (Variants: British, New Zealand)
Works in: Chinese to English
Related KudoZ points
:
16
Selected
someone that you use to test your ideas, opinions, etc
sounding board = a person or group of people that you use to test something such as a new idea or suggestion to see if they will accept it or if they think it will work (Cambridge Advanced Learner's Dictionary)
sounding board = a person on whom one tests one's ideas, opinions, etc. (Collins Concise English Dictionary)
sounding board = a person on whom one tests one's ideas, opinions, etc. (Collins Concise English Dictionary)
4 KudoZ points awarded for this answer.
Comment: "Thanks to all of you!"
+4
2 mins
somebody to talk to
somebody to bounce ideas off
or simply, if you're looking for advice / reassurance
looking for a sympathetic ear
somebody in the same position who might have more experience
or simply, if you're looking for advice / reassurance
looking for a sympathetic ear
somebody in the same position who might have more experience
Peer comment(s):
| agree |
sarahl (X)
57 mins
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| agree |
Vicky Papaprodromou
57 mins
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Thanks. Literally "bounce ideas off" as stated above ;-)
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| agree |
RHELLER
: sympathetic - who doesn't make qualifying statements right away because they can stop the flow
5 hrs
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| agree |
Refugio
: a good listener -- one who won't cut off the conversation with a dismissive answer
6 hrs
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Thanks
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3 hrs
Craft.Content
Word Builders In Hindi-Marathi-Sanskrit
Native in: Hindi 
Works in: English to Hindi, English, English to Gujarati, and 2 more.
Related KudoZ points
:
12
see comment.
'Sounding board' is a conversational situation where one person (the initiator) is thinking aloud, in order to firm up an opinion / decision. He / she expects that the listener (responder) will respond with the pros and cons about the topic at hand. The flow of the conversation, not exactly brain-storming, is expected to lead to the initiator arriving at some conclusion.
In the situation above, the friend has shrugged off the effort of providing a 'sounding board', by putting an end to the topic of whether there _indeed_ is anything wrong with the baby, with her answer. There was no lobbying, back-and-forth, of ideas / thoughts / experiences, that would have convinced the initiator that the baby was indeed well, or not well.
Hth,
Sanjay.
In the situation above, the friend has shrugged off the effort of providing a 'sounding board', by putting an end to the topic of whether there _indeed_ is anything wrong with the baby, with her answer. There was no lobbying, back-and-forth, of ideas / thoughts / experiences, that would have convinced the initiator that the baby was indeed well, or not well.
Hth,
Sanjay.
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