1400-1500Late Latinaudibilis, from Latinaudire; ➔ AUDIO
Examples
EXAMPLES FROM OTHER DICTIONARIES
His voice was barely audible above the noise of the generator.
The signal is clearly audible up to 200 miles away.
There was an audible gasp from the audience.
When the engine finally started she gave an audible sigh of relief.
EXAMPLES FROM THE CORPUS
Firing up the Rolls is an occasion that goes unheralded by audible means.
He stumbled, and lay in agony, his cries of pain clearly audible around a now-hushed ground.
Neighbours will appreciate a further benefit - it does not rely on the 1812 overture or other audible deterrents.
So soothing is the language of layoffs that the stunned victims often make no audible outcry.
The grunts of exasperation among applied econometricians were almost audible.
There was an audible sigh of relief.
Thesaurus
Longman Language Activatorwhen you can hear something or someone►can hear
· You don't have to shout, I can hear you!· The explosion could be heard over 10 miles away.· Can you hear all right or do you want me to turn the television up?can hear somebody/something doing something· We knew he was asleep because we could hear him snoring.can hear what somebody says· Could you hear what she was saying?
►can make out
if you can make out what someone is saying, you can hear them but it is difficult: · She was crying and the only thing I could make out was Lou's name.· Sarah spoke so softly that Kathryn could hardly make out her words.· Now and then I could just make out George's voice above the music.· I could make out the sound of thunder in the distance.
►audible
loud enough to be heard: · The signal is clearly audible up to 200 miles away.· When the engine finally started she gave an audible sigh of relief.barely audible (=almost not audible): · His voice was barely audible above the noise of the generator.
►within earshot
if you are within earshot , you are near enough to someone to be able to hear what they are saying: · You can play anywhere on the beach as long as you stay within earshot.within earshot of: · Two of the shop assistants were complaining loudly within earshot of the customers.
►carry
if a sound carries , it can be heard a long distance away from where the sound was made: · Deeper sounds carry further than high-pitched ones.carry across/down/through etc something: · Their voices carried across the lake to where we were sitting.
Collocations
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE ENTRY►barely audible
His voice was barely audible (=could only just be heard) above the roar of the crowd.
COLLOCATIONS FROM OTHER ENTRIES►barely audible/perceptible/visible/discernible etc
His voice was barely audible.
►an audible sigh
(=a sigh that can be heard)· Tonight she breathed an audible sigh of relief as the show ended.
COLLOCATIONS FROM THE CORPUSADVERB►barely
· During the succession crisis of 1730 complaints against compulsory service were barely audible even among the lesser nobility.· The music in the restaurant is barely audible.· The sound was tar oft and barely audible.· When Jim acknowledged him, a barely audible groan rippled through the room.· At first, there were faint murmurings, barely audible even within the row, and self-conscious answers from the team leader.· He spoke in a barely audible, husky growl - but it overlay the rumble of a harshly controlled anger.· There was a smattering of light applause and a barely audible groan from the back.
►clearly
· He stumbled, and lay in agony, his cries of pain clearly audible around a now-hushed ground.· In the clear night air the sound of battle at the nearest of the gates was clearly audible.· The shot had been clearly audible and the activity by the water was energized by panic.· The sound was clearly audible in the awful silence.· The swearing of the two men in it was clearly audible.
►just
· The singer's voice was just audible.· Her piping voice was only just audible.· Her prayer beads were constantly moving and a steady stream of soft petitions to Allah were just audible.
NOUN►sigh
· There was an audible sigh of relief.· There was an almost audible sigh of relief as they all stood around the foot of the column.· An audible sigh of relief rose from the ranks of mainstream macroeconomists.· There was an almost audible sigh of relief around the world that some one had been caught tampering with the dictionary.
a sound that is audible is loud enough for you to hear itOPP inaudible: His voice was barely audible (=could only just be heard) above the roar of the crowd.—audibly adverb—audibility /ˌɔːdəˈbɪləti $ ˌɒː-/ noun [uncountable]