Idiom
hit the sauce
Slang
Meaning
To drink alcohol regularly or in excessive amounts, often as a way to cope with problems or stress.
Examples
“After he lost his job, he started to hit the sauce pretty hard every night.”
“The veteran reporter was known for his brilliant writing, but his tendency to hit the sauce during his lunch break eventually cost him his column.”
“While the protagonist's decline is portrayed with some sympathy, the narrative ultimately critiques his decision to hit the sauce rather than face his mounting legal responsibilities.”
Examples
simple
“After he lost his job, he started to hit the sauce pretty hard every night.”
contextual
“The veteran reporter was known for his brilliant writing, but his tendency to hit the sauce during his lunch break eventually cost him his column.”
complex
“While the protagonist's decline is portrayed with some sympathy, the narrative ultimately critiques his decision to hit the sauce rather than face his mounting legal responsibilities.”
Origin
The term 'sauce' has been used as a slang synonym for alcohol since at least the mid-19th century, likely referring to the liquid nature of spirits or the way alcohol 'seasons' a person's mood. The verb 'hit' implies a sudden or heavy engagement with the substance. It became particularly popular in American hardboiled detective fiction and noir cinema during the mid-20th century to describe characters struggling with alcoholism.
Key words
Related idioms
- Level
- C1 · Advanced
- Updated