What does "souse" mean?
Souse: Pickle made with salt.
Additional senses
- 2.Something kept or steeped in pickle; esp., the pickled ears, feet, etc., of swine. And he that can rear up a pig in his house, Hath cheaper his bacon, and sweeter his souse. Tusser.
- 3.The ear; especially, a hog's ear. [Prov. Eng.]
- 4.The act of sousing; a plunging into water.
- 5.To steep in pickle; to pickle. "A soused gurnet." Shak.
- 6.To plunge or immerse in water or any liquid. They soused me over head and ears in water. Addison.
- 7.To drench, as by an immersion; to wet throughly. Although I be well soused in this shower. Gascoigne.
- 8.To swoop or plunge, as a bird upon its prey; to fall suddenly; to rush with speed; to make a sudden attack. For then I viewed his plunge and souse Into the foamy main. Marston. Jove's bird will souse upon the timorous hare. J. Dryden. Jr.
- 9.To pounce upon. [R.] [The gallant monarch] like eagle o'er his serie towers, To souse annoyance that comes near his nest. Shak.
- 10.The act of sousing, or swooping. As a falcon fair That once hath failed or her souse full near. Spenser.
- 11.With a sudden swoop; violently. Young.
Sources
- Webster's Unabridged Dictionary, 1913 edition (public domain, via GCIDE / Project Gutenberg).
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- Published: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00 · Modified: 2026-07-17T00:00:00-07:00