suds

American  

[suhdz] / sʌdz /

noun

(used with a plural verb)

1. soapy water.

2. foam; lather.

3. Slang. beer.

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verb (used with object)

1. to wash with soap or detergent (often followed byout ).

   to suds out a pair of socks.

suds British  

/ sʌdz /

plural noun

1. the bubbles on the surface of water in which soap, detergents, etc, have been dissolved; lather

2. soapy water

3. slang beer or the bubbles floating on it

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Other Word Forms

• nonsudsing
  adjective
• sudsable
  adjective
• sudsy
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of suds

1540–50; 1900–05 suds for def. 3; perhaps < Middle Dutch sudse puddle, marsh; akin to sodden

Explanation

The frothy soap bubbles you make when you wash your hands are suds. If you put too much detergent in your dishwasher, the kitchen floor could end up covered in suds. Besides suds made from soap (the word is actually short for soapsuds), there are other foamy, frothy substances you can call suds. Sometimes the tide leaves suds on the beach, and you may be fond of sipping suds off the top of your root beer float. Because it's often topped with suds, beer itself is informally known as suds. In the 16th century, suds meant "dregs or muck."

Example Sentences

Wilson returned to Suds Tavern with his friend Julie Chislock and her husband later that evening to celebrate his newfound wealth.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 13, 2024

I tried on Sara Evans's "Suds in the Bucket," which wasn't quite a "Tear in My Beer" but it was close.

From Salon • Dec. 12, 2021

Suds randomly mentioned one of Evermore’s characters, resulting in the customers spending the entire night trying to create a meet-cute.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 9, 2018

“The way I take is superhigh, / A superlot is where I park it, / And Super Suds are what I buy.”

From The New Yorker • May 29, 2017

“Your mother ever say, ‘Oh, Suds, you’re such an angel, you don’t have to clean your room anymore’?”

From "Fourth Grade Rats" by Jerry Spinelli