sake

¹

[seyk]

noun

1. cause, account, interest, or benefit.

   for the sake of all students.

   Synonyms: respect, consideration, regard

2. purpose or end.

   for the sake of appearances.

   Synonyms: reason

sake

²

Or sa·ké,

[sah-kee]

noun

1. a Japanese fermented, mildly alcoholic beverage made from rice.

sake

¹

/ seɪk /

noun

1. benefit or interest (esp in the phrase for ( someone's or one's own ) sake )

2. the purpose of obtaining or achieving (esp in the phrase for the sake of ( something ))

3. used in various exclamations of impatience, urgency, etc

   for heaven's sake

   for pete's sake

sake

²

/ ˈsækɪ /

noun

1. a Japanese alcoholic drink made from fermented rice

Word History and Origins

Origin of sake¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English sacu “lawsuit, cause”; cognate with German Sache “thing,” Old Norse sǫk “lawsuit”; akin to seek

Origin of sake²

First recorded in 1680–90; from Japanese sake; compare Okinawan saki

Word History and Origins

Origin of sake¹

C13 (in the phrase for the sake of, probably from legal usage): from Old English sacu lawsuit (hence, a cause); related to Old Norse sok, German Sache matter

Origin of sake²

C17: from Japanese

Idioms and Phrases

see for the sake of.

Example Sentences

But first — and, just as crucially — he needs Michelle to admit he’s right, for the sake of his ego.

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In an interview, Lauren Bennett, program manager of spatial analysis and data science at Esri, says she was drawn to the challenge because it wasn’t about groups using “AI for the sake of it.”

Read more on Barron's

I’ll break my thoughts down on these episodes by couple for simplicity’s sake.

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Ever shivered your way through an icy shower just for the sake of shinier hair?

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The BBC decided to go ahead and still show this year's amateur series of MasterChef, with both Wallace and Torode in it, for the sake of the chefs who had taken part in it.

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Related Words

• well-being