saucer

plural saucers

1. A small shallow dish to hold a cup and catch drips.
2. An object round and gently curved, shaped like a saucer.

   The saucer-shaped object could have been a UFO.

3. A circular sled without runners.
4. obsoleteA small pan or other vessel-like food container in which sauce was set on a table.

   Take two saucers , and strike the edge of the one against the bottom of the other , within a pail of water ; and you shall find , that as you put the saucers lower and lower , the sound groweth more flat

   1627 (indicated as 1626), Francis [Bacon], “II. Century.”, in Sylua Syluarum: Or A Naturall Historie. In Ten Centuries. […], London: […] William Rawley […]; [p]rinted by J[ohn] H[aviland] for William Lee […], →OCLC

5. A flat, shallow caisson for raising sunken ships.
6. A shallow socket for the pivot of a capstan.

present singular third person saucers · participle present saucering · participle past saucered · past saucered

1. transitiveTo pour (tea, etc.) from the cup into the saucer in order to cool it before drinking.
2. intransitiveOf the eyes: to become large and round.

   Lydia's eyes saucered with shock. Her heart was beating very fast and all her adrenaline kicked in.

   2016, Ian Mitchell-Gill, Merrett's Gift