Etymology PIE word *sḗh₂l From Middle English sauce, from Old French sause, from Vulgar Latin *salsa, noun use of the feminine of Latin salsus (“salted”), past participle of saliō (“to salt”), from sal. Doublet of salsa. For the meaning development compare Ancient Greek ἥδυσμα (hḗdusma) ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *swéh₂dus (whence also English sweet).
A liquid (often thickened) condiment or accompaniment to food.
apple sauce; mint sauce
[Prince Paul.] […] But, believe me, you are wrong to run down cookery. For myself, the only immortality I desire is to invent a new sauce. I have never had time enough to think seriously about it, but I feel it is in me, I feel it is in me.1883, Oscar Wilde, Vera […] :
1 more example
You could just use ordinary shop-bought kecap manis to marinade the meat, but making your own is easy, has a far more elegant fragrance and is, above all, such a great brag! Flavouring kecap manis is an intensely personal thing, so try this version now and next time cook the sauce down with crushed, split lemongrass and a shredded lime leaf.2015 October 27, Matt Preston, The Simple Secrets to Cooking Everything Better, Plum, →ISBN, page 192:
[…] she was thinking of her first husband, who was a heel to end all heels and a constant pain in the neck to her till one night he most fortunately walked into the River Thames while under the influence of the sauce and didn't come up for days.1960, P[elham] G[renville] Wodehouse, chapter XVII, in Jeeves in the Offing, London: Herbert Jenkins, →OCLC:
1 more example
I've been pretty much off the sauce during the last week, trying to get Pepper to like me again. (Horace won't drink with me any more.)1993, Tristan Hawkins, Pepper, London: Flamingo, →ISBN, page 110:
"See here, Captain!" He planted himself squarely in front of Faramir, his hands on his hips, and a look on his face as if he was addressing a young hobbit who had offered him what he called "sauce" when questioned about visiting the orchard.1954, J. R. R. Tolkien, The Lord of the Rings, volume 2, London: George Allen & Unwin Ltd., published 1968, →ISBN, page 691:
‘Well, you know what Matchett’s like! Just about bring herself to talk to me because I’m housemaid, but if the gardener’s boy so much as looks at ’er it’s sauce,’ said Sarah.1967, Barbara Sleigh, Jessamy, Sevenoaks, Kent: Bloomsbury, published 1993, →ISBN, page 39:
I wanted cabbage or potaters, or most any sort o' garden sarse [...]1833, John Neal, The Down-Easters: &c. &c. &c., volume 1, Harper & Brothers, →OCLC, page 91:
[...] and all would be well only for a remark of a little boy who, when asked if he will have some more of the sauce, says he "don't want no strawberries pickled in kerosene."1882, George W. Peck, “Unscrewing the Top of a Fruit Jar”, in Peck's Sunshine:
Roots, herbs, vine fruits, and salad flowers […] they dish up various ways, and find them very delicious sauce to their meats, both roasted and boiled, fresh and salt.1705, Robert Beverley, The History of Virginia:
The first night of our expedition, we boiled our meat; and I asked the landlady for a little sauce, she told me to go to the garden and take as much cabbage as I pleased, and that, boiled with the meat, was all we could eat.1830, Joseph Plumb Martin, “Ch. VIII”, in A Narrative of Some of the Adventures, Dangers and Sufferings of a Revolutionary Soldier:
Etymology PIE word *sḗh₂l From Middle English sauce, from Old French sause, from Vulgar Latin *salsa, noun use of the feminine of Latin salsus (“salted”), past participle of saliō (“to salt”), from sal. Doublet of salsa. For the meaning development compare Ancient Greek ἥδυσμα (hḗdusma) ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *swéh₂dus (whence also English sweet).
1
To add sauce to; to season.
2
To cause to relish anything, as if with a sauce; to tickle or gratify, as the palate; to please; to stimulate.
Earth, yield me roots; / Who seeks for better of thee, sauce his palate / With thy most operant poison!c. 1605–1608 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Life of Tymon of Athens”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene iii]:
Meales, uſually ſavvced vvith a healthfull hunger, vvherein no incocted Crudities oppreſſe Nature, and cheriſh diſeaſe: […]1645, Jos[eph] Hall, “Sect[ion] XII. Consideration of the Benefits of Poverty.”, in The Remedy of Discontentment: Or, A Treatise of Contentation in whatsoever Condition: […], London: […] J. G. for Nath[aniel] Brooks, […], published 1652, →OCLC, page 61:
3
To make poignant; to give zest, flavour or interest to; to set off; to vary and render attractive.
Then fell she to sauce her desires with threatenings.a. 1587, Philippe Sidnei [i.e., Philip Sidney], “(please specify the folio)”, in [Fulke Greville; Matthew Gwinne; John Florio], editors, The Countesse of Pembrokes Arcadia [The New Arcadia], London: […] [John Windet] for William Ponsonbie, published 1590, →OCLC:
4
Colloquial To treat with bitter, pert, or tart language; to be impudent or saucy to.
I'll sauce her with bitter words.c. 1598–1600 (date written), William Shakespeare, “As You Like It”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act III, scene v]:
"A bit of real starvin' would do them no 'arm, and I would 'ave less sauce." "What, has Willie sauced you?" "Yes, when 'e woke up." […] "Wot did he say?" "Cursed me good and proper, 'e did."1925 July – 1926 May, A[rthur] Conan Doyle, “(please specify the chapter number)”, in The Land of Mist (eBook no. 0601351h.html), Australia: Project Gutenberg Australia, published April 2019: