Are you feeling like life is getting away from you? Do you have addictions? Maybe you suffer from repetitive behaviors you can't stop? If that's so, you could be "Lost in the sauce."
Let's unpack everything you need to know about this idiomatic phrase's origin, meaning, and use.
Meaning
Lost in the sauce means that a person is totally distracted in their life and oblivious to their surroundings. The most common use of the phrase is to describe an alcoholic addiction to booze and how it alters their behavior. Typically, alcoholics won't do anything or go anywhere where they can't get a drink.
They will live their lives without thinking about anything other than where they are getting their next drink. As a result, they become "lost in the sauce," and they need help to get them out of their situation and return to a normal life.
However, the phrase's meaning also took on several other meanings indicating human behaviors. For instance, a person could be lost in their emotions, with the sauce describing happy or sad feelings. To be lost in the sauce could also describe how they get lost in the sauce as a fixation or fascination that may or may not be healthy for them.
Typically, you'll use the phrase to describe repetitive behavior, and it could have a negative or positive connotation.
Example Usage
"Don't mind Jim, he's always late, he's lost in the sauce these days, I don't even know if he'll show up."
"Ivan remembers the time when he spent years lost in the sauce. He regrets it and wishes he could get those years of his life back."
"Are you feeling lost in the sauce lately? You're always drunk when I see you these days."
"It looks like John is feeling a little lost in the sauce these days. He stays at home drinking all evening, and we never see him anymore."
Origin
Several accounts of the expression "Lost in the sauce" come from the military. Some language experts suggest that the sauce could originally refer to fog or misty weather, where soldiers would refer to the conditions as "soup."
However, soldiers would also use it as a reference to how they looked the following morning after a hard night out at the bar. Eventually, the sauce would refer to liquor and a person's inability to control their problem with drinking excessively.
Phrases Similar to Lost in the Sauce
- On the drink.
- On the sauce.
- On the bottle.
- At the bottom of a bottle.
Phrases Opposite to Lost in the Sauce
- Sober minded.
- Clear-headed.
- Straight edge.
What is the Correct Saying?
- Lost in the sauce.
Ways People May Say Lost in the Sauce Incorrectly
Some people may use the phrase "lost in the sauce" to describe a person who just got drunk on a single occasion or a social drinker. Describing someone as "lost on the sauce " means they have a drinking problem and likely need help. Therefore, it's not appropriate to use the phrase in a lighthearted manner.
Acceptable Ways to Phrase Lost in the Sauce
You can use the phrase to describe someone dealing with alcohol problems. Typically, the "sauce" in the phrase only refers to alcohol, so using it interchangeably with other drugs won't make sense. You can use the term when talking about someone's physical and mental state in their personal battle with alcohol. The phrase is more suitable for use in social situations, but you can use it in some professional circumstances as well.