souse

¹souse

verb \ˈsau̇s\

sousedsous·ing

Definition of SOUSE

transitive verb

1

: pickle

2

a : to plunge in liquid : immerse

b : drench, saturate

3

: to make drunk : inebriate

intransitive verb

: to become immersed or drenched

Origin of SOUSE

Middle English, from Anglo-French suz, souce pickling juice, of Germanic origin; akin to Old High German sulza brine, Old English sealt salt

First Known Use: 14th century

Rhymes with SOUSE

blouse, chiaus, chouse, douse, gauss, Gauss, grouse, house, Klaus, Laos, louse, mouse, scouse, spouse

²souse

noun

Definition of SOUSE

1

: something pickled; especially : seasoned and chopped pork trimmings, fish, or shellfish

2

: an act of sousing : wetting

3

a : a habitual drunkard

b : a drinking spree : binge

Examples of SOUSE

1. <an old souse who lumbered home with a full bottle of gin in him every night>

First Known Use of SOUSE

14th century

Related to SOUSE

Synonyms

alcoholic, alkie (or alky) [slang], boozehound, boozer, dipsomaniac, drinker, drunkard, inebriate, juicehead [slang], juicer [slang], lush, rummy, soak, soaker, sot, drunk, tippler, toper, tosspot

Related Words

swigger, swiller; wino

Near Antonyms

abstainer, nondrinker, teetotaler (or teetotaller), teetotalist

Other Alcoholic Beverage Terms

finish, gimlet, mull, sake, setup, sommelier, syllabub, vintner, wassail

³souse

verb

sousedsous·ing

Definition of SOUSE

intransitive verb

archaic

: to swoop down : plunge

transitive verb

archaic : to swoop down on

Origin of SOUSE

Middle English souce, noun, start of a bird's flight, alteration of sours, probably from Anglo-French surse source — more at source

First Known Use: 1567