If you sound someone out, you question them in order to find out what their opinion is about something. He is sounding out Middle Eastern governments on ways to resolve the conflict Sound him out gradually. Make sure it is what he really wants
ask someone's opinion on an issue; pronounce an unfamiliar word by slowly uttering the sounds of each letter and assembling them into a word (for children who are learning to read)
speak, pronounce, or utter in a certain way; "She pronounces French words in a funny way"; "I cannot say `zip wire'"; "Can the child sound out this complicated word?"