verb / noun

souse

SOUSS/saʊs/

To soak thoroughly in liquid.

I souse the cotton cloth in a basin of water.

Hands submerge cotton cloth completely into basin of water, soaked thoroughly and dripping as lifted.

Etymology

souseOld Frenchpreserved in salt and vinegar

The French word described food preserved in salt and vinegar. English first used souse for pickling or steeping in vinegar, then extended it to plunging or soaking in water.

More examples

The sudden downpour soused us before we reached the car.
He souses stale bread in milk before mixing the meatloaf.
The deli sells souse made from pickled pork.

Forms

souse · souses · soused · sousing

Similar words

soak: Emphasizes leaving something in liquid, often for a while.
drench: Emphasizes wetting completely, often by pouring liquid over something.
saturate: Emphasizes absorbing as much liquid as something can hold.