Sound out

To raise something informally or test views before deciding how far to take it, often by speaking to the relevant people before formal staffing or escalation.

Example: Sound this out with Finance first before we put it into the paper.

Also known as: sound this out, sound them out, sound out the issue

Context: Usage varies. It can mean sounding out a person or stakeholder to test their reaction, or informally raising an issue to see how it is received.