All 5 Uses of
sober
in
To Kill a Mockingbird
- When Miss Caroline threatened it with a similar fate the first grade exploded again, becoming cold sober only when the shadow of Miss Blount fell over them.
p. 24.6sober = serious
- He sat on the side of Jem's bed, looked at us soberly, then he grinned.
p. 150.8 *soberly = in a serious manner
- Looking down the hall, we should have seen Atticus Finch, Attorney-at-Law in small sober letters against the light from behind his door.
p. 170.4sober = serious
- ...Miss Rachel (sober as a judge),
p. 262.1
- It was the general opinion of Maycomb, however, that Mrs. Merriweather had sobered him up and made a reasonably useful citizen of him.
p. 263.4 *sobered = became less drunk (or got completely past drunkenness)
Definitions:
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(1)
(sober as in: Talk to me when your sober.) not under the influence of alcohol
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(2)
(sober up as in: I need to sober up.) to become less drunk or intoxicated
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(3)
(sobering as in: a sobering thought) serious or calm (not silly or excited); or making one serious or less excited
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(4)
(meaning too rare to warrant focus) meaning too rare to warrant focus:
More rarely, sober can refer to one who is rational rather than under the influence of extreme emotion. Also more rarely, it can reference that which is practical rather than fanciful -- such as "a more sober plan."