soss

See also: sôs, söss, and SOS's

English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sɒs/
• Rhymes: -ɒs

Etymology 1

From Middle English sosse, sos, soos (“hounds' meat; a mess of food”), of uncertain origin. See sesspool.

Alternative forms

• suss

Noun

soss (plural sosses)

1. (UK, dialect) Anything dirty or muddy; a dirty puddle.

Verb

soss (third-person singular simple present sosses, present participle sossing, simple past and past participle sossed)

1. (UK, dialect) To soil; to make dirty.

Etymology 2

Compare souse.

Verb

soss (third-person singular simple present sosses, present participle sossing, simple past and past participle sossed)

1. To fall suddenly into a chair or seat; to sit lazily.
   • 1723, Jonathan Swift, Stella at Wood Park

     sossing in an easy chair

2. To throw in a negligent or careless manner; to toss.
   • May 24 1711, Jonathan Swift, Journal to Stella – Letter 24

     the coach sosses up and down as one goes that way

Noun

soss (plural sosses)

1. (obsolete) A lazy fellow.
2. A heavy fall.
   • 1828, William Carr, The Dialect of Craven:

     wi a soss aboon the claiths
     Ilk ane their gifts down flang

References

• soss in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913

Anagrams

• OSS's, OSSs, SSOs

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Luxembourgish

Etymology

From Middle High German sus, from Old High German sus. Cognate with German sonst, Dutch zus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /zos/
  • Rhymes: -os

Adverb

soss

1. otherwise
2. usually
3. elsewhere

Conjunction

soss

1. otherwise, or else

   Du muss dech fläissen, soss verpass du den Zuch.

   You must hurry up, or else you will miss the train.

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Norwegian Nynorsk

Etymology

Ultimately from Latin socius. A clipping of various thence derived terms.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /sʊsː/

Noun

soss m (definite singular sossen, indefinite plural sossar, definite plural sossane)

1. clipping of sosietet
   1. (informal, uncountable) upper echelons of society, upper classes
      • 1986, Dahl, Arild, “Mannen utan VG”, in Svevet over Haukeli, Oslo: Samlaget, page 87:

        Ute av døra registrerte han at minkpelsen sette seg inn i ein slik liten Mercedes som sossen køyrde rundt i no om dagen.

        Outside, he sat the mink coat sitting down in such a small Mercedes that the "soss" drive nowadays.

   2. (sometimes derogatory, countable) a person, usually an adolescent who is excessively preoccupied with expressing their social status by means of what they wear, e.g. expensive brands; a (young) snob

      Antonym: (dated) frikar

      • 1997, Nordlie, Kirsti, Reiselivsarbeid, Oslo: Universitetsforlaget, page 63:

        Punkarar skal ha ein spesiell utsjånad, sossar ein annan.

        Punkers have their appearance, "soss"-es another.

2. (politics, informal) a socialist or social democrat
   • 1976, Solheim, Torolv, I solnedgangstider, Oslo: Samlaget, page 205:

     Det viser seg at der sossane har makta, er alt tenkeleg for å kvele fri ytring og politisk syn.

     Turns out that whereever the socialists are in power, anythink is thinkable to quell free expression and political viewpoint.

   • 1950 May 16, “Sosialistfleirtalet i Sverige i fare?”, in Haugesunds avis, page 5:

     Når det gjeld tilhøvet mellom partia i Sverige, sa professor Ohlin at det dominerande trekket er sosialdemokratane sitt permanente frieri til Bondeförbundet og samstundes at F[o]lkpartiet er varg i veum for «sossane» (sosialistane).

     When it comes to the relationship between Sweden's political parties, professor Ohlin said that the dominant feature is the Socialist party's permanent proposal to the Farmers' League, and that the People's Party is an outcast to the socialists.

References

• “soss” in The Nynorsk Dictionary.