What's the difference between
and
Enter two words to compare and contrast their definitions, origins, and synonyms to better understand how those words are related.

Soak vs Souse - What's the difference?

soak | souse |

As verbs the difference between soak and souse

is that soak is (label) to be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it while souse is to immerse in liquid; to steep or drench or souse can be to strike, beat.

As nouns the difference between soak and souse

is that soak is an immersion in water etc while souse is something kept or steeped in brine or souse can be the act of sousing, or swooping or souse can be (label) sou (the french coin).

soak

English

Verb

(en verb)
  • (label) To be saturated with liquid by being immersed in it.
  • * Bible, (w) xxiv. 7
  • Their land shall be soaked with blood.
  • (label) To immerse in liquid to the point of saturation or thorough permeation.
  • (label) To penetrate or permeate by saturation.
  • * Sir (Walter Scott) (1771-1832)
  • The rivulet beneath soaked its way obscurely through wreaths of snow.
  • (label) To allow (especially a liquid) to be absorbed; to take in, receive. (usually + up )
  • * {{quote-book, year=1927, author= F. E. Penny
  • , chapter=4, title= Pulling the Strings , passage=The case was that of a murder. It had an element of mystery about it, however, which was puzzling the authorities. A turban and loincloth soaked in blood had been found; also a staff.}}
  • To drink intemperately or gluttonously.
  • (label) To heat a metal before shaping it.
  • To hold a kiln at a particular temperature for a given period of time.
  • (label) To absorb; to drain.
  • Noun

    (en noun)
  • An immersion in water etc.
  • * "After the climb, I had a nice long soak in a bath."
  • (slang, British) A drunkard.
  • (Australia) A low-lying depression that fills with water after rain.
  • * 1985 , (Peter Carey), Illywhacker , Faber & Faber 2003, p. 38:
  • I set off early to walk along the Melbourne Road where, one of the punters had told me, there was a soak with plenty of frogs in it.

    Anagrams

    * * * English ergative verbs

    souse

    English

    Etymology 1

    From (etyl) .

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • Something kept or steeped in brine
  • # The pickled ears, feet, etc., of swine.
  • #* (and other bibliographic details) Tusser
  • And he that can rear up a pig in his house, / Hath cheaper his bacon, and sweeter his souse .
  • ## (US, Appalachian) Pickled scrapple.
  • ## (Caribbean) Pickled or boiled ears and feet of a pig
  • # A pickle made with salt.
  • # The ear; especially, a hog's ear.
  • The act of sousing; a plunging into water.
  • A person suffering from the disease of alcoholism.
  • See also
    * (food) brawn, budin, haggis, head cheese, pudding, sausage, scrapple

    Verb

    (sous)
  • To immerse in liquid; to steep or drench.
  • * (and other bibliographic details) Addison
  • They soused me over head and ears in water.
  • * (and other bibliographic details) Gascoigne
  • although I be well soused in this shower
  • *1913 , , (Sons and Lovers) ,
  • *:As she heard him sousing heartily in cold water, heard the eager scratch of the steel comb on the side of the bowl, as he wetted his hair, she closed her eyes in disgust.
  • Derived terms

    * soused

    Etymology 2

    Obscure origin. Compare Middle German sûs (noise).

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • The act of sousing, or swooping.
  • * (and other bibliographic details) (Spenser)
  • As a falcon fair / That once hath failed or her souse full near.
  • A heavy blow.
  • * 1596 , Spencer, Fairie Queene
  • His murdrous mace he vp did reare, That seemed nought the souse thereof could beare.

    Verb

    (sous)
  • to strike, beat
  • to fall heavily
  • * 1590 , (Edmund Spenser), The Faerie Queene , III.4:
  • Him so transfixed she before her bore / Beyond his croupe, the length of all her launce; / Till, sadly soucing on the sandy shore, / He tombled on an heape, and wallowd in his gore.
  • * (and other bibliographic details) J. Dryden. Jr.
  • Jove's bird will souse upon the tim'rous hare.
  • to pounce upon
  • * (and other bibliographic details) (Shakespeare)
  • [The gallant monarch] like eagle o'er his serie towers, / To souse annoyance that comes near his nest.

    Etymology 3

    (plural of (m)).

    Noun

  • (label) sou (the French coin)
  • (label) A small amount
  • Anagrams

    *