See Also: Source(law)
source(dictionary)
Source(money)
Second Source(money)
Source data(health)
biblical source(encyclopedia)
primary source(dictionary)
secondary source(dictionary)
source 1, noun(dictionary)
source 2, verb(dictionary)

source (iou)



source noun & verb. ME.
[Old French sours, sors masc., and source (also mod.), sourse fem., use as noun of pa. pple of sourdre rise, spring, from Latin surgere SURGE verb.]
A. noun.
= SOUSE noun2 1. Long obsolete exc. Hist. ME.
Falconry. The upward flight of a hawk etc. LME-E17.
The fountain-head of a river or stream; the place from which a flow of water begins. LME.
Julia Hamilton An expedition searching for the source of the river Niger. fig.: J. Aiken Being given permission to cry ad lib had the effect of drying up the source.
b. A spring, a fountain. L15.
Tennyson Like torrents from a mountain source.
A person who or thing which is the chief or prime cause of a specified condition, quality, emotion, etc.; a place where such a condition etc. originates. LME.
E. Roosevelt Religion was an anchor and a source of strength and guidance. T. Capote The source of her misery..was..in her spine.
b. spec. The genealogical origin of a person or family. M17.
c. A document, person, etc., supplying esp. original information or evidence in support of some fact or event; a spokesperson, esp. one who gives unattributable statements to the media. L18.
Times Educational Supplement Pupils should be able to..read with a large degree of independence using..reference sources. Guardian According to..diplomatic sources,..they may issue a joint statement calling for a peace conference.
a. The derivation of a material thing; a place or thing from which something material is obtained or originates; the originating cause of a physical agency; a body which emits radiation, energy, etc. E19.
P. L. Fermor Transylvania was the oldest source of gold in the classical world. Which? Toothpaste is only one source of fluoride. Scientific American The major commercial application for his superbulbs was as a source of heat rather than of light.
b. Physics. A place where, or process by which, energy or some specific component enters a system; a point or centre from which a fluid or current flows. Opp. SINK noun 7. M19.
c. Electronics. (The material forming) the part of a field-effect transistor which acts as an emitter of charge-carriers. Opp. DRAIN noun 1c. M20.
Phrases: at source at the point, place, etc., of origin.
Comb.: sourcebook a collection of documentary sources for the study of a subject; source code Computing (a program, procedure, etc., written in) a source language; source-criticism Theology analysis and study of the sources used by biblical authors; source language (a) a language from which a translation is made; (b) Computing a language in which a program or procedure is written; source program Computing a program written in a language other than machine code, usu. a high-level language; source rock Geology (a) a rock formation from which later sediments are derived, or in which a particular mineral originates; (b) sediment in which hydrocarbons originate and with sufficient organic content to generate petroleum.
b. verb.
verb intrans. Of a bird of prey: fly upwards. rare. Only in E16.
verb intrans. Arise from something. L16-M17.
verb trans.
a. In pass. Have as a source, originate in or from, (foll. by in); be cited as a source of evidence etc. M20.
Times Literary Supplement A scientific paper..by the Chicago psychoanalyst..which is sourced in my notes. Achievement The..error is sourced either in the design team or in the construction management team.
b. Of a manufacturer: obtain (components etc.) in or from a specified place. Usu. in pass. L20.
Grocer A range of savoury peanut snacks sourced from Belgium.
sourceless adjective M19.