sauce
B1Informal to formal (depending on usage; culinary sense is standard, figurative 'cheek' sense is informal).
Definition
Meaning
A liquid or semi-liquid substance served with food to add moistness and flavour.
Informal term for impertinence, cheek, or bold talk. Also used informally as a verb meaning to add flavour or, figuratively, to make something more interesting.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Primarily a noun. The figurative sense of 'cheek' is informal, often found in phrases like 'What sauce!' The verb use is informal and often appears in cooking contexts.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
Minor differences in common condiment names (e.g., 'brown sauce' vs 'steak sauce'). The figurative sense of 'cheek' ('Don't give me any of your sauce!') is more common in UK English. The phrase 'sauced up' meaning 'drunk' is AmE slang.
Connotations
In both, the culinary sense is neutral. The 'cheek' connotation is playful/scolding. In AmE, 'sassy' is related to the 'cheeky' sense.
Frequency
Culinary sense is high-frequency in both. The 'cheek' sense has low-medium frequency in UK English, very low in AmE.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
N + sauce (tomato sauce)sauce + for + N (sauce for the fish)sauce + to + V (sauce to accompany)V + sauce + with + N (serve with sauce)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “What's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander.”
- “Hunger is the best sauce.”
- “on the sauce (slang: drinking heavily)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Metaphorically used in phrases like 'secret sauce' to denote a unique competitive advantage.
Academic
Rare; may appear in historical or cultural studies of food.
Everyday
Very common in cooking, dining, and informal reprimands (UK).
Technical
Specific in culinary arts (e.g., 'mother sauces', 'reduction sauce').
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- She sauced the vegetables with a light butter and herb dressing.
- He cleverly sauced his presentation with amusing anecdotes.
American English
- Make sure to sauce the ribs generously before putting them on the grill.
- The comedian sauced his routine with some sharp political commentary.
adverb
British English
- N/A (No standard adverbial form. 'Saucily' is from 'saucy').
American English
- N/A
adjective
British English
- The saucy remark earned him a frown from the teacher. (from 'saucy', related adjective)
- It was a lovely, sauce-based dish.
American English
- She gave him a saucy wink. (from 'saucy')
- We're having a sauce-intensive menu tonight.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- I like pasta with tomato sauce.
- Can you pass the sauce, please?
- This recipe needs a sauce made from cream and mushrooms.
- He had the sauce to argue with the referee!
- The chef reduced the wine to create a rich, flavorful sauce for the steak.
- Their company's real secret sauce is its company culture, not its technology.
- Deconstructed dishes often feature the elements of a sauce served separately, challenging the diner's expectations.
- His report was sauced with just enough irony to make the criticism palatable to management.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
SAUCE: Something Added Under Chewing to Enhance flavour. Or remember it rhymes with 'source' of flavour.
Conceptual Metaphor
SAUCE IS CHEEK/IMPERTINENCE (informal), SAUCE IS AN ESSENTIAL COMPONENT (business 'secret sauce').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'соус' (sous) which is a direct cognate and correct. However, Russian 'подлива' is closer to 'gravy'. 'Sauce' is broader.
- The idiom 'on the sauce' (drinking) has no direct equivalent.
Common Mistakes
- Confusing 'sauce' with 'gravy' (gravy is a type of sauce made from meat juices).
- Using the informal 'cheek' sense in formal writing.
- Misspelling as 'sause'.
Practice
Quiz
In a business context, what does 'secret sauce' typically refer to?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Generally uncountable when referring to the substance (e.g., 'Add some sauce'). It can be countable when referring to types or varieties (e.g., 'Italian cooking features many delicious sauces').
All gravies are sauces, but not all sauces are gravies. Gravy is specifically a sauce made from the cooked juices of meat, often thickened with flour.
Yes, but it's informal. It means to add sauce to food or, figuratively, to add excitement or interest to something (e.g., 'He sauced up his story with wild exaggerations').
It's an informal, chiefly American slang expression meaning to be habitually drinking alcohol, often to excess.
Collections
Part of a collection
Food and Cooking
A2 · 50 words · Cooking methods, kitchen tools and recipes.