soup

[ soop ]

noun

1. a liquid food made by boiling or simmering meat, fish, or vegetables with various added ingredients.

   Synonyms: potage, stock, broth

2. Slang. a thick fog.
3. Slang. added power, especially horsepower.
4. Slang. nitroglycerin.
5. Photography Slang. developing solution.

verb phrase

1. Slang.
   1. to improve the capacity for speed or increase the efficiency of (a motor or engine) by increasing the richness of the fuel mixture or the efficiency of the fuel, or by adjusting the engine.
   2. to give spirit or vivacity to; enliven:

      a political rally souped up by the appearance of the candidates.

soup

/ suːp /

noun

1. a liquid food made by boiling or simmering meat, fish, vegetables, etc, usually served hot at the beginning of a meal
2. informal.
   a photographic developer
3. informal.
   anything resembling soup in appearance or consistency, esp thick fog See also peasouper
4. a slang name for nitroglycerine
5. in the soup informal.
   in trouble or difficulties

Other Words From

• soupless adjective
• souplike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of soup¹

1645–55; 1940–45 soup fordef 6; < French soupe, Old French souppe, sope < Germanic; compare Dutch sopen to dunk. See sop

Word History and Origins

Origin of soup¹

C17: from Old French soupe, from Late Latin suppa, of Germanic origin; compare Middle High German suppe, Old Norse soppa soup

Idioms and Phrases

Idioms

1. from soup to nuts,
   1. from the first through the last course of a meal.
   2. from beginning to end; to a complete, encompassing degree; leaving nothing out.
2. in the soup, Informal. in trouble:

   He'll be in the soup when the truth comes out.

More idioms and phrases containing soup

In addition to the idiom beginning with soup , also see duck soup ; from soup to nuts ; in the soup ; thick as thieves (pea soup) .

Example Sentences

Some chicken soup and about five hours of sleep did wonders for his sore throat.

From Los Angeles Times

And at Chishuru, whose prix fixe dinner menu is priced at £95, egusi — a seed used in soup, usually served with pounded yam — flavors an ice cream accompanying a meringue sponge.

From New York Times

The Swedish checklist recommends potatoes, cabbage, carrots and eggs along with tins of bolognese sauce and prepared blueberry and rosehip soup.

From BBC

“Every day it’s the same struggle. I go back and forth to the soup kitchen.”

From BBC

It’s a really nice quiet restaurant and I get my combo plate with broiled salmon, tamagoyaki, soup, rice and little pickles.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• circumstance
• crisis
• deadlock
• dilemma
• hardship
• imbroglio
• impasse
• mess
• plight
• posture
• quagmire
• quandary