Now arch. Forms: 6– souse, 6–8 sowse (7 sowsse), 7 sowze, sowce. [f. SOUSE sb.3 2.]
1. intr. Of a hawk, etc.: To swoop down; to descend with speed and force. Freq. const. on or upon (a bird, etc.), and sometimes with down.
1589. Warner, Albion’s Eng., II. xxxi. 139. Kind killing Hawkes but wagge the wing, and worke to sowse anon.
1591. Sylvester, Du Bartas, I. v. 1087. But suddenly … Down soust the Eagle on the blazing wood.
1626. T. H[awkins], trans. Caussin’s Holy Crt., 63. If the dogges spring some little bird, she [the hobby] sowceth vpon it.
1693. Dryden, etc. Juvenal, xiv. (1697), 343. The Generous Eaglet, who is taught … to fly at Hares, and sowse on Kids.
1720. Pope, Iliad, XVII. 765. The sacred eagle … sousing on the quivering hare.
1762. Beattie, Pigm. & Cranes, 162. A fowl enormous, sousing from above, The gallant chieftain clutch’d.
1806. J. Grahame, Birds of Scot., 70. Now up she rises, and, with arrowed pinions, Impetuous souses.
b. transf. and fig. of persons or things.
1583. T. Watson, Poems (Arb.), 103. For when he first espyde my raunging Heart, He Falcon like came sowsing from aloofe.
1590. Lodge, Euphues Gold. Leg., H iv. Be blythe and frolicke man, Loue sowseth as low as she soareth high.
1668. Dryden, Even. Love, IV. i. I love to stoop to my prey, and to have it in my power to souse at, when I please. Ibid. (1670), 2nd Pt. Almanzor & Alm., V. As some huge Rock … So I—Would sowze upon thy Guards, and dash ’em wide.
1729. Shelvocke, Artillery, V. 351. Mounted on a winged Steed … and sowsing directly upon the Monster.
1738. Pope, Epil. Satires, II. 15. Come on then, Satire! gen’ral, unconfin’d, Spread thy broad wing, and souse on all the kind.
1769. Burke, Corr. (1844), I. 206. In the style of Lord Chatham’s politics, to keep hovering in the air, over all parties, and to souse down where the prey may prove best.
1808. Scott, in Lockhart (1839), I. 65. I was not permitted to open my lips without one or two old ladies … being ready at once to souse upon me.
2. trans. a. To strike down (a bird) by a powerful swoop. rare–1.
1594. 1st Pt. Contention, II. i. How hie your Hawke did sore? And on a sodaine soust the Partridge downe.
b. To swoop or pounce upon (something) in a hostile manner.
1595. Shaks., John, V. ii. 150. The gallant Monarch … like an Eagle, o’re his ayerie towres, To sowsse annoyance that comes neere his Nest.
1616. B. Jonson, Devil an Ass, IV. vii. He did fly her home To mine own window: but I think I sou[s]’t him, And rauish’d her away, out of his pownces.
[1898. J. A. Gibbs, Cotswold Village, xii. 274. Ere the falcon ‘souses’ her prey.]
