sake

1 of 2

noun (1)

ˈsāk 

1

: end, purpose

for the sake of argument

2

a

: the good, advantage, or enhancement of some entity (such as an ideal)

free to pursue learning for its own sake

—M. S. Eisenhower

b

: personal or social welfare, safety, or benefit

sake

2 of 2

noun (2)

sa·​ke ˈsä-kē 

variants or saki

: a Japanese alcoholic beverage of fermented rice often served hot

Examples of sake in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Many of them think the government is sacrificing their daughters for the sake of stability, to appease Boko Haram, an accusation that Governor Zulum denied. —Adaobi Tricia Nwaubani, The Atlantic, 12 Apr. 2024

Festival food includes sushi, spam musubi, gyoza, yakisoba, mochi, teriyaki chicken rice bowls, shave ice, cotton candy and bento boxes with pork cutlet, teriyaki salmon or sesame tofu, with iced coffee, boba drinks, beer, sake, plum wine, sodas and lemonade to wash it all down. —Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 7 Apr. 2024

Instead, Maldivians are leaving the islands for the sake of their children, looking to Malé and the world beyond. —Maahil Mohamed Elke Scholiers, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2024

To equate Buckley’s conservatism with darkness, grievance, and conflict for its own sake is a smear based on any fair reading of the record. —The Editors, National Review, 5 Apr. 2024

If Psaki is correct in her assessment that the primary role of the journalist is to tell the truth for the sake of democracy, MSNBC and other news outlets shouldn’t effectively censor Trumpworld. —Jay Caspian Kang, The New Yorker, 5 Apr. 2024

In a profile of a killer who worships art for art’s sake, these allusions make sense. —Judy Berman, TIME, 4 Apr. 2024

Now visitors can pair sake flights from Virginia’s first sake brewery with noodles, dumplings and rice bowls. —Shana Clarke, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Apr. 2024

Schools have three years to spend the money but aren’t supposed to sit on it just for the sake of doing so, Beutner said. —Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 1 Apr. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English, dispute, guilt, purpose, from Old English sacu guilt, action at law; akin to Old High German sahha action at law, cause, Old English sēcan to seek — more at seek

Noun (2)

Japanese sake

First Known Use

Noun (1)

13th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

1682, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing sake

• art for art's sake
• for goodness' sake
• for heaven's sake
• for old times' sake
• for simplicity's sake
• for the sake of appearances
• for the sake of it
• for the sake of simplicity
• just for the sake of it

Kids Definition

sake

1 of 2 noun

ˈsāk 

1

: goal sense 2, purpose

for the sake of argument

2

: the good of something : advantage

the sake of our country

sake

2 of 2 noun

sa·​ke

variants or saki

ˈsäk-ē 

: a Japanese alcoholic drink made from rice

Etymology

Noun

Old English sacu "guilt, legal action"

Noun

Japanese