\Son"net\, n. [F., fr. It. sonetto, fr. suono a sound, a
song, fr. L. sonus a sound. See {Sound} noise.]
1. A short poem, -- usually amatory. [Obs.] --Shak.
         He had a wonderful desire to chant a sonnet or hymn
         unto Apollo Pythius.                  --Holland.
2. A poem of fourteen lines, -- two stanzas, called the
   octave, being of four verses each, and two stanzas, called
   the sestet, of three verses each, the rhymes being
   adjusted by a particular rule.
Note: In the proper sonnet each line has five accents, and
      the octave has but two rhymes, the second, third,
      sixth, and seventh lines being of one thyme, and the
      first, fourth, fifth, and eighth being of another. In
      the sestet there are sometimes two and sometimes three
      rhymes; but in some way its two stazas rhyme together.
      Often the three lines of the first stanza rhyme
      severally with the three lines of the second. In
      Shakespeare's sonnets, the first twelve lines rhymed
      alternately, and the last two rhyme together.

\Son"net\, v. i.
To compose sonnets. ``Strains that come almost to
sonneting.'' --Milton.