/ sɔːs; NAmE / noun
1.
[ C , U ] a thick liquid that is eaten with food to add flavour to it :
tomato / cranberry / chilli, etc. sauce
chicken in a white sauce
ice cream with a hot fudge sauce
—see also soy sauce , tartare sauce , white sauce
2.
[ U ] ( old-fashioned , BrE , informal ) talk or behaviour that is annoying or lacking in respect
SYN cheek
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IDIOMS
- what's sauce for the goose is sauce for the gander
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WORD ORIGIN
Middle English : from Old French , based on Latin salsus salted, past participle of salere to salt, from sal salt. Compare with salad .