sake

Other spellings

• (Japanese rice wine) saké, saki

Pronunciation

noun 1

• enPR: sāk, IPA ^(key): /seɪk/
• SAMPA: /seIk/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

noun 2

• (UK) enPR: säkĕ, IPA ^(key): /sɑːkɛ/, SAMPA: /sA:kE/
• (US) enPR: säkē, IPA ^(key): /sɑːki/, SAMPA: /sA:ki/

Noun 1

Singular sake

Plural sakes

1. If something is for $x$'s sake or for the sake of $x$, it is to help $x$ or make $x$ happy.

   You are the reason I did it. I did it for your sake.

   I must pretend to be happy when I am not, for everyone's sake.

   The parents are staying together for the children's sake.

2. You use for God's/Christ's/Heaven's/Pete's/pity's/fuck's sake when you feel strongly about something.

   "No, I will not." "For God's sake, why not?"

3. If something is for $x$'s sake or for the sake of $x$, it is for that purpose.

   I carried my gun in the jungle for safety's sake.

   Let's say, for the sake of argument, that he comes out and says, "I love you." Then what?

Synonyms

• cause
• reason

Noun 2

Singular sake

Plural sakes

Japanese sake

1. (uncountable) Sake is a kind of Japanese wine made from rice.