flavorful relish or dressing or topping served as an accompaniment to food
"She drizzled a generous amount of spicy sauce over her grilled chicken before taking a bite."
A liquid (often thickened) condiment or accompaniment to food.
"She stirred a dollop of creamy mushroom sauce over the pasta before serving it."
In plain English: Sauce is a liquid food topping that adds flavor and moisture to dishes.
"I need to add some steak sauce to my dinner."
behave saucily or impudently towards
"She didn't like it when her boss started to act so saucily during the meeting."
dress (food) with a relish
"She decided to sauce her plain grilled chicken with a spicy relish before serving it."
To add sauce to; to season.
"I'd love some garlic bread if you could just sauce it up for me before serving."
In plain English: To sauce something means to pour a liquid topping over it.
"She decided to sauce the chicken with a spicy marinade before grilling it."
Usage: Use this verb when you are physically adding liquid seasoning or condiments directly onto food, such as pouring hot sauce over tacos. It is distinct from simply describing the flavor of a dish itself, which would require an adjective like "saucy."
The word "sauce" comes from Middle English and Old French, tracing back to a Vulgar Latin term meaning "salted." It entered the language as a noun derived from the verb for salting food.