Meaning of "sigh" in the English dictionary

ETYMOLOGY OF THE WORD SIGH

Old English sīcan, of obscure origin.

Etymology is the study of the origin of words and their changes in structure and significance.

PRONUNCIATION OF SIGH

sigh  [saɪ]

GRAMMATICAL CATEGORY OF SIGH

Sigh is a verb and can also act as a noun.

A noun is a type of word the meaning of which determines reality. Nouns provide the names for all things: people, objects, sensations, feelings, etc.

The verb is the part of the sentence that is conjugated and expresses action and state of being.

See the conjugation of the verb sigh in English.

WHAT DOES SIGH MEAN IN ENGLISH?

Paralanguage

Paralanguage is a component of meta-communication that may modify or nuance meaning, or convey emotion, such as prosody, pitch, volume, intonation etc. It is sometimes defined as relating to nonphonemic properties only. Paralanguage may be expressed consciously or unconsciously. The study of paralanguage is known as paralinguistics, and was invented by George L. Trager in the 1950s, while he was working at the Foreign Service Institute of the Department of State. His colleagues at the time included Henry Lee Smith, Charles F. Hockett, Edward T. Hall developing proxemics, and Ray Birdwhistell developing kinesics. Trager published his conclusions in 1958, 1960 and 1961. His work has served as a basis for all later research, especially those investigating the relationship between paralanguage and culture. A good example is the work of John J. Gumperz on language and social identity, which specifically describes paralinguistic differences between participants in intercultural interactions.

Definition of sigh in the English dictionary

The first definition of sigh in the dictionary is to draw in and exhale audibly a deep breath as an expression of weariness, despair, relief, etc. Other definition of sigh is to make a sound resembling this. Sigh is also often foll by for to yearn, long, or pine.

CONJUGATION OF THE VERB TO SIGH

PRESENT

Present

I sigh

you sigh

he/she/it sighs

we sigh

you sigh

they sigh

Present continuous

I am sighing

you are sighing

he/she/it is sighing

we are sighing

you are sighing

they are sighing

Present perfect

I have sighed

you have sighed

he/she/it has sighed

we have sighed

you have sighed

they have sighed

Present perfect continuous

I have been sighing

you have been sighing

he/she/it has been sighing

we have been sighing

you have been sighing

they have been sighing

Present tense is used to refer to circumstances that exist at the present time or over a period that includes the present time. The present perfect refers to past events, although it can be considered to denote primarily the resulting present situation rather than the events themselves.

PAST

Past

I sighed

you sighed

he/she/it sighed

we sighed

you sighed

they sighed

Past continuous

I was sighing

you were sighing

he/she/it was sighing

we were sighing

you were sighing

they were sighing

Past perfect

I had sighed

you had sighed

he/she/it had sighed

we had sighed

you had sighed

they had sighed

Past perfect continuous

I had been sighing

you had been sighing

he/she/it had been sighing

we had been sighing

you had been sighing

they had been sighing

Past tense forms express circumstances existing at some time in the past,

FUTURE

Future

I will sigh

you will sigh

he/she/it will sigh

we will sigh

you will sigh

they will sigh

Future continuous

I will be sighing

you will be sighing

he/she/it will be sighing

we will be sighing

you will be sighing

they will be sighing

Future perfect

I will have sighed

you will have sighed

he/she/it will have sighed

we will have sighed

you will have sighed

they will have sighed

Future perfect continuous

I will have been sighing

you will have been sighing

he/she/it will have been sighing

we will have been sighing

you will have been sighing

they will have been sighing

The future is used to express circumstances that will occur at a later time.

CONDITIONAL

Conditional

I would sigh

you would sigh

he/she/it would sigh

we would sigh

you would sigh

they would sigh

Conditional continuous

I would be sighing

you would be sighing

he/she/it would be sighing

we would be sighing

you would be sighing

they would be sighing

Conditional perfect

I would have sigh

you would have sigh

he/she/it would have sigh

we would have sigh

you would have sigh

they would have sigh

Conditional perfect continuous

I would have been sighing

you would have been sighing

he/she/it would have been sighing

we would have been sighing

you would have been sighing

they would have been sighing

Conditional or "future-in-the-past" tense refers to hypothetical or possible actions.

IMPERATIVE

Imperative

you sigh
we let´s sigh
you sigh

The imperative is used to form commands or requests.

NONFINITE VERB FORMS

Infinitive

to sigh

Past participle

sighed

Present Participle

sighing

Infinitive shows the action beyond temporal perspective. The present participle or gerund shows the action during the session. The past participle shows the action after completion.

SYNONYMS OF «SIGH»

The following words have a similar or identical meaning as «sigh» and belong to the same grammatical category.

synonyms of sigh

complain · exhalation · exhale · grieve · groan · lament · moan · mourn · murmur · rustle · sorrow · sough · suspire · whisper

TRANSLATION OF SIGH

Find out the translation of sigh to 25 languages with our English multilingual translator.

The translations of sigh from English to other languages presented in this section have been obtained through automatic statistical translation; where the essential translation unit is the word «sigh» in English.

• Translator English - Chinese: 叹息声
• Translator English - Spanish: suspiro
• English: sigh
• Translator English - Hindi: झोंका
• Translator English - Arabic: تَنَهُّد
• Translator English - Russian: вздох
• Translator English - Portuguese: suspiro
• Translator English - Bengali: দীর্ঘশ্বাস
• Translator English - French: soupir
• Translator English - Malay: Mengeluh
• Translator English - German: Seufzer
• Translator English - Japanese: ため息
• Translator English - Korean: 한숨
• Translator English - Javanese: Sigh
• Translator English - Vietnamese: tiếng thở dài
• Translator English - Tamil: பெருமூச்சு
• Translator English - Marathi: उसासा
• Translator English - Turkish: iç çekmek
• Translator English - Italian: sospiro
• Translator English - Polish: westchnienie
• Translator English - Ukrainian: зітхання
• Translator English - Romanian: oftat
• Translator English - Greek: αναστεναγμός
• Translator English - Afrikaans: sug
• Translator English - Swedish: suck
• Translator English - Norwegian: sukk

10 QUOTES WITH «SIGH»

Famous quotes and sentences with the word sigh.

1

Lord Acton

If some great catastrophe is not announced every morning, we feel a certain void. Nothing in the paper today, we sigh.

2

Minna Antrim

The drama of life begins with a wail and ends with a sigh.

3

John Desmond Bernal

Religious suffering is at once the expression of real suffering and a protest against real suffering. Religion is the sigh of the oppressed creature, the sentiment of the heartless world, as it is the soul of soulless condition. It is the opium of the people.

4

Rudolf Bing

There are two sighs of relief every night in the life of an opera manager. The first comes when the curtain goes up The second sigh of relief comes when the final curtain goes down without any disaster, and one realizes, gratefully, that the miracle has happened again.

5

George Crabbe

To sigh, yet not recede; to grieve, yet not repent.

6

Charles Duhigg

Since cowardice must occur at a time and place where an enemy either has already appeared or may yet turn up, servicemen in peacetime - and ordinary civilians - can breathe a sigh of relief. If you are yellow-bellied back home, you're not technically a coward.

7

Edward Dyer

True hearts have eyes and ears, no tongues to speak; they hear and see, and sigh, and then they break.

8

Sydney J. Harris

When I hear somebody sigh, 'Life is hard,' I am always tempted to ask, 'Compared to what?'

9

Matthew Henry

So great was the extremity of his pain and anguish, that he did not only sigh but roar.

10

John Hersey

All morning they watched for the plane which they thought would be looking for them. They cursed war in general and PTs in particular. At about ten o'clock the hulk heaved a moist sigh and turned turtle.

10 ENGLISH BOOKS RELATING TO «SIGH»

Discover the use of sigh in the following bibliographical selection. Books relating to sigh and brief extracts from same to provide context of its use in English literature.

My Last Sigh: The Autobiography of Luis Bunuel

Filled with film trivia, framed by Buñuel’s intellect and wit, this is essential reading for fans of cinema and for anyone who has ever wanted to see the world through a surrealist’s eyes.

Luis Bunuel, 2013

The Moor's Last Sigh

"Fierce, phantasmagorical...a huge, sprawling, exuberant novel."--New York Times From the Trade Paperback edition.

Salman Rushdie, 2011

The Sigh

When her father, a rich merchant, fails to find the seed of a blue bean that she asked for, Rose lets out a sigh in resignation, attracting the Sigh, a mysterious being that brings the seed she desired to the merchant--but every gift has a ...

‎2011

A Sigh for Life's Completion

"Life or death? Kill or die? How do you deal with having to dine on the humanity you adore? Feast on the miscreants. And don't get too close to the good ones. This is Paul Christian's choice.

Sara Kuhns, 2009

Secularism's Last Sigh?: Hindutva and the (Mis) Rule of Law

Questioning the Supreme Court elision of the meaning of Hinduism with the meaning Hindutva, this book contends that Hindutva cannot be separated from its appeal to religion, nor from its assault on the legitimacy of religious minorities.

Brenda Cossman, Ratna Kapur, 2001

The Sigh of Haruhi Suzumiya

Or is it just another day at high school? You never know when Haruhi is involved! Join the frenzy and the fun with this second book in the phenomenal bestselling series that took the world by storm with over 4.5 million copies sold.

Nagaru Tanigawa, 2012

Razorblade Sigh

And more importantly, who can you get to help? The strangest Magus you've ever come across throws in her lot with a rock band in this tale of possession, murder, interdimensional travel and a room that's alive.

Mad Andy, 2006

Breathin' my name with a sigh

An important and enduring long poem from the most poetical of the TISH poets.

Fred Wah, 1981

Whisper and Sigh

Whisper and SighBarbara HuffertShe's had enough of her stagnant life, can't take another day, so she walks out, destination unknown.

Barbara Huffert, 2009

Sigh for a Merlin: Testing the Spitfire

Alex Henshaw spent the early days of World War II at Eastleigh, England, testing the immortal Spitfire fighter with Jeffrey Quill before being appointed Chief Test Pilot at Supermarine's new factory in Castle Bromwich.

Alex Henshaw, 2000

10 NEWS ITEMS WHICH INCLUDE THE TERM «SIGH»

Find out what the national and international press are talking about and how the term sigh is used in the context of the following news items.

ZTV - Sigh...

Comments are submitted under the express understanding and condition that the editor may, and is authorised to, disclose any/all of the above personal ... «Times of Malta, Jul 15»

NWA Breathes Sigh Of Relief Following Capture Of Manhunt Suspect

BENTON COUNTY (KFSM)- Many communities in Northwest Arkansas let out a sigh of relief Monday (July 13) after authorities captured a manhunt suspect in ... «5newsonline.com, Jul 15»

Did Pakistani Intelligence Turn Seymour Hersh Into Its Dupe?

Sigh, Sy. Seymour Hersh has produced amazing investigative journalism. But his newest bombshell reads like bad fiction. By Phillip Carter. Seymour Hersh of ... «Slate Magazine, May 15»

Did you hear Hillary breathe a sigh of relief on jobs?

But the biggest sigh of relief likely came from Hillary Clinton's campaign headquarters in Brooklyn. Because a softening economy is among the things most likely ... «CNBC, May 15»

Cameron Victory Prompts London's City to Breathe Sigh of Relief

“From the U.K. banks, there will be something of a sigh of relief that the status quo is being maintained,” said Richard Hunter, head of equities at Hargreaves ... «Bloomberg, May 15»

Tempus: a sigh of relief all round

As I suggested here last week, the result of the election, for any number of reasons, has had little effect on the equity markets. Yesterday's reaction by the FTSE ... «The Times, May 15»

'UFO' Discovered (Sigh) In Apollo 12 Photograph, 45 Years Later

The European Space Agency's comet lander might have died after just three days - but as we know, data recovered from space can yield insights long after the ... «Huffington Post UK, Nov 14»

A Jack O' Melon? Sigh…Back to Square One

I remember in one of my pre-cartooning jobs there was talk of creating a company website (this was a while ago). A committee was formed and I was a part of it. «Small Business Trends, Oct 14»

New Lions kicker Matt Prater breathes sigh of relief

After he banged in a 21-yard field goal off the left upright today, Detroit Lions kicker Matt Prater came to the sidelines at Ford Field and found Don Muhlbach. «Detroit Free Press, Oct 14»

No 'sigh of relief' yet for Utah's homeless

"We have not begun to breathe a sigh of relief." On a recent Friday, Tony said he wants his sons to grow up in a better environment than he did. His own youth ... «Salt Lake Tribune, Oct 14»