souse

¹ American  

[sous] / saʊs /

verb (used with object)

soused, sousing

1. to plunge into water or other liquid; immerse.

2. to drench, as with water.

   Synonyms:

   wet, waterlog, soak, saturate, douse

3. to dash or pour, as water.

4. to steep in pickling brine; pickle.

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verb (used without object)

soused, sousing

1. to plunge into water or other liquid.

2. to be soaked or drenched.

3. to be steeping or soaking in something.

noun

1. an act of sousing.

2. something kept or steeped in pickle, especially the head, ears, and feet of a pig.

3. a liquid used as a pickle.

4. Slang: Disparaging and Offensive. a habitual drinker of alcohol who is frequently intoxicated.

souse ² American  

[sous] / saʊs /

verb (used without object)

soused, sousing

1. to swoop down.

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verb (used with object)

soused, sousing

1. to swoop or pounce upon.

noun

Falconry.

1. a rising while in flight.

2. a swooping or pouncing.

souse ¹ British  

/ saʊs /

verb

1. to plunge (something, oneself, etc) into water or other liquid

2. to drench or be drenched

3. (tr) to pour or dash (liquid) over (a person or thing)

4. to steep or cook (food) in a marinade

5. slang (tr; usually passive) to make drunk

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noun

1. the liquid or brine used in pickling

2. the act or process of sousing

3. slang a habitual drunkard

souse ² British  

/ saʊs /

verb

1. to swoop suddenly downwards (on a prey)

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noun

1. a sudden downward swoop

Etymology

Origin of souse¹

First recorded 1350–1400 and in 1915–20 souse ¹ for def. 11; Middle English noun souce, sows, from Old French souz, sous, souce “pickled (meat),” from Germanic (akin to salt ¹ ); the verb is derivative of the noun

Origin of souse²

First recorded in 1350–1400; by-form of source in its earlier literal sense “rising”

Explanation

When you souse something, you plunge it into water or another liquid. If your little dog gets sprayed by a skunk, you'll want to souse him in a perfumed bubble bath to get the smell out. This word originally meant "plunge into vinegar" or "pickle," and you can still use it that way: "Let's souse these little cucumbers from the garden." The Germanic root of souse is related to pickling, meaning "brine" or "salt." You can also use souse as a noun: "Fido, you stink! Time for a good souse!" These days, it's also commonly used in an informal, figurative way to mean "intoxicated."

Example Sentences

The initial exhilaration of “Prima Facie” is feeling Comer channel Tessa’s ebullient spirit in the character’s Souse, or Liverpool, cadences, and her success in defying the expectations of those around her.

From Washington Post • Apr. 23, 2023

However, that’s what scientists did in Australia when they named a new species of cetacean the Australian humpback dolphin, Souse sahulensis.

From Textbooks • Jun. 9, 2022

Souse is the product consisting of meat and/or meat byproducts; after cooking, the mixture is commonly packed into containers and covered with vinegar.

From Time Magazine Archive

Souse it in a brook, they will, till they have it soggy.

From A Northern Countryside by Richards, Rosalind

She broke in impetuously, and explained the plan for the Perpetual Souse.

From In the Sweet Dry and Dry by Haley, Bart