Sounding (noun)

1. The act of measuring the depth of a body of water.
2. A test or measurement of something.
3. A deep and prolonged vocal utterance.
4. The practice of measuring the depths of water in a ship's hold or a harbor to determine the ship's draft.

Origin:

Derived from the old english 'sundian' meaning to sound.

Examples:

1. The captain ordered a sounding of the channel before the ship entered the harbor.
2. The scientist conducted soundings of the soil to determine its composition.
3. The singer let out a long and deep sounding, his voice echoing through the auditorium.
4. The soundings revealed that the water was too shallow for the ship to pass.
5. The crew took daily soundings to monitor the ship's draft as it loaded and unloaded cargo.