Master English one word at a time. World of Words provides a daily English word with its precise meaning, pronunciation, and practical usage examples to help you build a powerful vocabulary.
To sough is to make a low rustling or murmuring sound, like wind slipping through tall grass or gentle waves lapping the shore. When something soughs, it's making the kind of quiet noise you might not even notice until you stop and listen for it.
Example: A gentle breeze caused the tall pines to sough as we walked through the otherwise quiet forest.
Small beer is a fun way to describe those little things that are hardly worth making a fuss over. The phrase originally described weak beer with a low alcohol content, so it gradually became a figurative expression for anything considered minor or unimpressive. An apparent crisis may turn out to be small beer once the big picture comes into view.
Example: The 10% off coupon offered by one grocery store was small beer compared to the BOGO deal at another store.
