soup
UK[suːp]US[suːp]
n
A liquid food made by cooking meat, fish, or vegetables in water.
v
To increase the power, performance, or appeal of something.
Etymology
The word 'soup' has a flavorful history, originating from the Vulgar Latin term 'suppa', meaning 'bread soaked in broth'. This term likely has a Germanic origin, possibly related to words for 'soak' or 'sup'. It passed into Old French as 'soupe', referring both to the broth and the bread soaked in it. When adopted into Middle English, it retained the sense of a liquid meal, eventually shedding its association with bread to denote the broth or stew itself, and later developing a figurative verb sense meaning to enhance or augment.
Analysis
This word is a simplex loanword. It entered English from French, which derived it from a Late Latin term.
Examples
She made a delicious chicken noodle soup for dinner.
The mechanic souped up the old car's engine for the race.
On a cold day, nothing is more comforting than a warm bowl of soup.