Meaning & use
shoe sole
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Meanings
nouncountable
the bottom part of a shoe that touches the ground
Grammar: Countable: a shoe sole, the shoe sole. Often shortened to 'sole' when talking about shoes.
Patterns
- the shoe sole
- a rubber shoe sole
- wear out the shoe soles
- replace the shoe soles
The shoe sole was worn thin after months of walking.
He slipped on the ice because his shoe soles had no grip.
These boots have thick rubber shoe soles for muddy paths.
nouncountable
the bottom surface of a shoe, considered as a material or part for repair
Grammar: Countable when referring to individual soles: new soles, leather soles.
Patterns
- leather shoe soles
- rubber shoe soles
- a hole in the shoe sole
The cobbler replaced the leather shoe soles with rubber ones.
There was a hole in the shoe sole, so water got in.
She bought special shoe soles to make her high heels more comfortable.
Word forms
| plural | shoe soles |
|---|
Common combinations
- rubber shoe sole
- The rubber shoe sole provides good grip on wet floors.
- leather shoe sole
- Leather shoe soles are traditional but can be slippery.
- wear out the shoe soles
- Children wear out their shoe soles quickly.
- replace the shoe soles
- It is cheaper to replace the shoe soles than to buy new shoes.
- a hole in the shoe sole
- He noticed a hole in the shoe sole after the long hike.
Synonyms and how they differ
- sole
- The common short form; use it when the context is clearly about shoes.
Word family
Commonly confused: shoe sole or insole? shoe sole or soul?
shoe sole vs insole
The insole is inside the shoe, under your foot; the sole (or shoe sole) is the bottom part that touches the ground.
shoe sole vs soul
Soul is pronounced the same as sole but means the spiritual part of a person. 'Shoe sole' is about footwear.
Practice
After walking for miles, the ______ of his shoes were completely worn down.
Choose one answer.
The soles are the bottom parts that touch the ground and wear down with walking. 'Souls' is a homophone but means spirits. 'Insoles' are inside the shoe and would not be worn down by the ground. 'Heels' are the back parts, not the whole bottom.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “shoe sole”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.