Emily Dickinson Lexicon

SAUC'Y, a. [from sauce; L. salsus, salt or salted. The use of this word leads to the primary sense of salt, which must be shooting forward, penetrating, pungent, for boldness is a shooting forward.]

1. Impudent; bold to excess; rude; transgressing the rules of decorum; treating superiors with contempt. It expresses more than pert; as, a saucy boy; a saucy fellow.
2. Expressive of impudence; as, a saucy eye; saucy looks.