v. soused, sous·ing, sous·es v.tr. 1. To plunge into a liquid. 2. To make soaking wet; drench. 3. To steep in a mixture, as in pickling. 4. Slang To make intoxicated. v.intr. To become immersed or soaking wet. n. 1. The act or process of sousing. 2. a. Food steeped in pickle, especially pork trimmings. b. The liquid used in pickling; brine. 3. Slang a. A drunkard. b. A period of heavy drinking; a binge. [Middle English sousen, probably from Old French *souser, to pickle, from souz, sous, pickled meat, of Germanic origin; see sal- in the Appendix of Indo-European roots.] |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
v. soused, sous·ing, sous·es Archaic v.tr. To attack by swooping down on. Used of a bird of prey. v.intr. To swoop down, as an attacking hawk does. |
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.