sauce
UK: sɔːs | US: sɔːs
n. a liquid or semi-liquid substance served with food to add flavor or moisture
vt. to add sauce to food; (informal) to speak impertinently or boldly
The word "sauce" traces back to Latin salsus, meaning "salted" (from sal, "salt"). It entered Old French as sauce, referring to seasoned liquids for food. The silent "e" in Modern English preserves the spelling but not pronunciation. The culinary sense reflects its original purpose: preserving and enhancing food with salt-based preparations. The verb meaning ("to speak boldly") emerged later, metaphorically extending the idea of "adding flavor" to speech.
The pasta was served with a rich tomato sauce.
She sauced the dish with a hint of garlic and herbs.
(Informal) Don’t sauce your elders like that!
This recipe calls for a creamy white sauce.
He sauced his remarks with sarcasm.