saucy

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English

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WOTD – 30 October 2008

Alternative forms

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Etymology

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From sauce +‎ -y.[1][2]

Pronunciation

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Adjective

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saucy (comparative saucier, superlative sauciest)

  1. Similar to sauce; having the consistency or texture of sauce.
    Bring the tomatoes to a boil and then simmer until they reach a saucy consistency.
  2. (figurative) Impertinent or disrespectful, often in a manner that is regarded as entertaining or amusing; smart.
    Synonyms: see Thesaurus:cheeky
    She is a loud, saucy child who doesn't show a lot of respect to her elders.
    • c. 1603–1604 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Othello, the Moore of Venice”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene i], page 311, column 1, line 143:
      If this be knowne to you, and your Allowance, / We then haue done you bold, and ſaucie wrongs.
    • 1811, [Jane Austen], chapter XVII, in Sense and Sensibility […], volume I, London: […] C[harles] Roworth, […], and published by T[homas] Egerton, […], →OCLC, page 216:
      And books!—Thomson, Cowper, Scott;—she would buy them all over and over again; she would buy up every copy I believe, to prevent their falling into unworthy hands; and she would have every book that tells her how to admire an old twisted tree. Should not you, Marianne? Forgive me, if I am very saucy. But I was willing to shew you that I had not forgot our old disputes.
  3. Impudently bold; pert.
  4. Sharp; pungent; piquant.
  5. Mildly erotic.
    I enjoyed the dancing, but my husband found it a little too saucy.
    • 1933, Stella Blum, Everyday Fashion of the Thirties as pictured in Sears Catalogs, published 1986, page 46:
      Saucy epaulet shoulder and full sleeves that fit into neat button trimmed cuffs.
    • 2012 December 17, John Plunkett, “The X Factor did not breach code with 'saucy' dance routine, Ofcom rules”, in The Guardian‎[2], →ISSN:
      An episode of ITV1's The X Factor which featured a Britney Spears impersonator performing a "saucy" routine in a body stocking did not breach the broadcasting code, media regulator Ofcom has ruled.

Derived terms

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Translations

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See also

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References

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  1. ^ Douglas Harper (2001–2024) “saucy”, in Online Etymology Dictionary.
  2. ^ “Archived copy”, in (Please provide the book title or journal name)‎[1], 2019 April 21 (last accessed), archived from the original on 21 April 2019

Anagrams

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