sober

Etymology

From Old French sobre, from Latin sōbrius, from se- (“without”) + ebrius (“intoxicated”), from Proto-Indo-European *h₁egʷʰ- (“drink”).

Pronunciation

• enPR: sō'bə(r), IPA^(key): /ˈsəʊ.bə(ɹ)/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -əʊbə(r)

Adjective

sober (comparative soberer, superlative soberest)

1. not drunk; not intoxicated
2. not given to excessive drinking of alcohol
   • 1890, John Charles, The Godly, Righteous, And Sober Life
3. moderate; realistic; serious; not playful; not passionate; cool; self-controlled
   • 1680, John Dryden, Ovid's Epistles

     No sober man would put himself into danger for the applause of escaping without breaking his neck.

   • 2005, Plato, Sophist. Translation by Lesley Brown. 230d.

     Which is the finest and soberest state possible.

   • 1678, Bunyan, The Pilgrim's Progress, Second period

     God help me to watch and to be sober.

4. dull; not bright or colorful
   • 1667, John Milton, Paradise Lost

     Twilight grey / Had in her sober livery all things clad.

5. subdued; solemn; grave
   • c. 1716, Matthew Prior, Alma

     What parts gay France from sober Spain? A little rising rocky chain.

   • 1717, Alexander Pope, Letter from Edward Blount, Esq.

     See her sober over a sampler, or gay over a jointed baby.

Verb

sober (third-person singular simple present sobers, present participle sobering, simple past and past participle sobered)

1. (often with up) To make or become sober.
   • 1711, Alexander Pope, An Essay on Criticism

     There shallow draughts intoxicate the brain, / And drinking largely sobers us again.

2. (often with up) To overcome or lose a state of intoxication.

   It took him hours to sober up.

Anagrams

• Beros, Boers, Boser, Brose, Serbo-, bores, brose, robes

Etymology

From French sobre, from Latin sobrius.

Adjective

sober

1. sober (in character; moderate; realistic; serious)

Pronunciation

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

sober (comparative soberder, superlative soberst)

1. simple, plain, austere