Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary · 1913

Souse

Souse , noun

[Old French sausse. See Sauce.]

1.
Pickle made with salt.
2.
Something kept or steeped in pickle; esp., the pickled ears, feet, etc., of swine.
And he that can rear up a pig in his house, Hath cheaper his bacon, and sweeter his souse. — Tusser
3.
The ear; especially, a hog's ear. [Provincial English]
4.
The act of sousing; a plunging into water.

Souse , noun

A drunkard. [slang]

Souse , transitive verb

[Compare French saucer to wet with sauce. See Souse pickle.]

1.
To steep in pickle; to pickle.
A soused gurnet. — Shakespeare
2.
To plunge or immerse in water or any liquid.
They soused me over head and ears in water. — Addison
3.
To drench, as by an immersion; to wet throughly.
Although I be well soused in this shower. — Gascoigne

Souse , intransitive verb

[Probably from Old French sors, past participle of sordre to rise, and first used of an upward swood, then of a swoop in general, but also confused with Souse, transitive verb See Source.]

To swoop or plunge, as a bird upon its prey; to fall suddenly; to rush with speed; to make a sudden attack.
For then I viewed his plunge and souse Into the foamy main. — Marston
Jove's bird will souse upon the timorous hare. — J. Dryden. Jr

Souse , transitive verb

To pounce upon. [Rare]
[The gallant monarch] like eagle o'er his serie towers, To souse annoyance that comes near his nest. — Shakespeare

Souse , noun

The act of sousing, or swooping.
As a falcon fair That once hath failed or her souse full near. — Spenser

Souse , adverb

With a sudden swoop; violently. — Young