Dictionary

mop en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /mɑp/ (General-American)
• /mɒp/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English mappe (also as mappel), perhaps borrowed from Walloon mappe (“napkin”), from Latin mappa (“napkin, cloth”). Believed to be from a Semitic source, variously claimed as Phoenician or Punic (the latter by Quintilian). Compare Modern Hebrew מַפָּה (mapá, “a map; a cloth”) (shortened from מַנְפָּה (manpah, “fluttering banner, streaming cloth”)). Doublet of map, nape, and nappe.

Meanings

1. (countable, uncountable) An implement for washing floors or similar, made of a piece of cloth, or a collection of thrums, or coarse yarn, fastened to a handle.
2. (countable, uncountable) A wash with a mop; the act of mopping.
   • He gave the floor a quick mop to soak up the spilt juice.
3. (countable, humorous, uncountable) A dense head of hair.
   • The hair is very peculiar, being harsh, dry, and frizzly, growing in little tufts or curls, which in youth are very short and compact, but afterwards grow out to a considerable length, forming the compact frizzled mop which is the Papuans' pride and glory. 1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume II, London: Macmillan and Co., page 445:
   • He ran a comb through his mop and hurried out the door.
4. (UK, West-Midlands, countable, dialectal, uncountable) An annual fair where servants were historically hired.
   • I means to goo to th' mop, 'er sez, fur I waants a chahinge.[…]'T wuz to w:Muckley mop 'er went. 1897, Hamilton Kingsford, Vigornian Monologues: A Series of Papers in Illustration of the Dialect of Worcestershire, page 18:
   • Mop Fairs: Today's annual events are the modern version of the old hiring fairs, where people attended seeking employment or to change it. They are named after the practice of hopefully skilled employees carrying tassels, known as mops, in their buttonholes indicating their occupation. Those who had no trade carried a mop head. At the end of the following week, they could change employers or employees, at what was called the Runaway Mop. 2022, Graham Sutherland, Secret Warwick:
   • The Mop Fairs attracted the attention of moralists. The hiring system was seen as a means to acquire girls for prostitution; although there is no evidence that this occurred in Stratford, where girls plying for hire were generally accompanied by their formidable mothers. 2014 August 15, Nicholas Fogg, Stratford-upon-Avon: The Biography:
5. (UK, countable, obsolete, uncountable) A tassel worn in a buttonhole to indicate ones occupation in such a fair.
   • Mop Fairs: Today's annual events are the modern version of the old hiring fairs, where people attended seeking employment or to change it. They are named after the practice of hopefully skilled employees carrying tassels, known as mops, in their buttonholes indicating their occupation. Those who had no trade carried a mop head. At the end of the following week, they could change employers or employees, at what was called the Runaway Mop. 2022, Graham Sutherland, Secret Warwick:
6. (Multicultural-London-English, countable, qualifier:African-American Vernacular, slang, uncountable) A firearm particularly if it has a large magazine (compare broom, but still can be related to MP)
   • Mainstream in this ting but I'm fully on opps Got shot with a mop but that boy never dropped 2021 July 4, M24, “Plugged In”, Fumez the Engineer (music), 2:16–2:19:
7. (slang, uncountable) Fellatio.
   • Had his thot give me mop in the back of my Bimmer 2019, “Laneswitch”, in True 2 Myself, performed by Lil Tjay:
8. (countable, uncountable) A squeezable high-flow paint marker with an extra-wide felt or foam tip.
9. (countable, uncountable) A row of ropes dragged along the seabed for catching starfish.
10. (countable, slang, uncountable) A drunkard.
    • Left his pa's farm and is now working at the city water works. Some say he's got to drink 'cause he works with blue vitriol and that kind of stuff. He was a drunken mop always. 1931, Folk-say, page 183:

Forms

Deriveds

mop-up · mop squeezer · moptop · mop water · mop-and-flop · mophandle · dishmop · Mopsy · mop-headed · mopsy · mophead · mop bucket · wet mop · squeegee mop · that's the way the mop flops · on the mop · mopstick · mop marriage · whiting-mop · mopholder · moplike · all mops and brooms · mopboard · moppy · suck the mop · mopwater

Descendants

mapa · mopa · moppe · Mopp

Synonyms

gat · iron · firearm · piece · gun

Translations (98)

de Wischmopp (implement for washing floors) · fr tignasse (head of hair) · tl lampaso (implement for washing floors) · gl fregona (implement for washing floors) · ko 자루걸레 (implement for washing floors) · es fregona (implement for washing floors) · fi moppi (implement for washing floors) · es chascona (implement for washing floors) · es trapero (implement for washing floors) · es palo de trapear (implement for washing floors) · hu hajcsomó (head of hair) · th ไม้ถูบ้าน (implement for washing floors) · hu grimasz (a grimace) · de Mopp (implement for washing floors) · de Aufnehmer (implement for washing floors) · fi hiuskuontalo (head of hair) · acw مِمْسَحَة (implement for washing floors) · tr mop (implement for washing floors) · nl mop (implement for washing floors) · es suape (implement for washing floors) · hi पोछा (implement for washing floors) · uk шва́бра (implement for washing floors) · eo ŝvabrilo (implement for washing floors) · es mocho (implement for washing floors) · hu felmosórongy (implement for washing floors) · it zazzera (head of hair) · es trapeador (implement for washing floors) · cs mop (implement for washing floors) · ga strailleán (implement for washing floors) · pl mop (implement for washing floors) · ca pal de fregar (implement for washing floors) · sq shtupë (implement for washing floors) · ko 마포걸레 (implement for washing floors) · es mapo (implement for washing floors) · ga stoth (head of hair) · ru шва́бра (implement for washing floors) · nb mopp (implement for washing floors) · hu mop (implement for washing floors) · es mope (implement for washing floors) · bg подочиста́чка (implement for washing floors) · be шва́бра (implement for washing floors) · om foksoo (implement for washing floors) · gd sguab (implement for washing floors) · is moppa (implement for washing floors) · mi mapu (implement for washing floors) · fr vadrouille (implement for washing floors) · nl dekzwabber (implement for washing floors) · es palopiso (implement for washing floors) · wa drap d' måjhon (implement for washing floors) · he סְחָבָה (implement for washing floors) · fa زمینشوی (implement for washing floors) · hu hajtincs (head of hair) · sv mopp (implement for washing floors) · fr moppe (implement for washing floors) · wa wite (implement for washing floors) · nn mopp (implement for washing floors) · cmn 拖把 (implement for washing floors) · ar مِمْسَحَة (implement for washing floors) · it mocio (implement for washing floors) · ko 대걸레 (implement for washing floors) · io swabro (implement for washing floors) · fr torchon (implement for washing floors) · tr paspas (implement for washing floors) · ko 마포 (implement for washing floors) · ko 밀대 (implement for washing floors) · pl grymas (a grimace) · el σφουγγαρίστρα (implement for washing floors) · ca ganyota (a grimace) · it scopa a filacce (implement for washing floors) · kw skubell-wolghi (implement for washing floors) · wa loke a rlocter (implement for washing floors) · pt esfregão (implement for washing floors) · it redazza (implement for washing floors) · wa såpire (implement for washing floors) · it lavapavimenti (implement for washing floors) · es mopa (implement for washing floors) · hy պոլի փեդ (implement for washing floors) · es lampazo (implement for washing floors) · ga mapa (implement for washing floors) · cy mop (implement for washing floors) · fr serpillière (implement for washing floors) · is þvegill (implement for washing floors) · vi cán lau nhà (implement for washing floors) · es coleto (implement for washing floors) · ga straille (head of hair) · hu felmosó (implement for washing floors) · hu fintor (a grimace) · ka შვაბრა (implement for washing floors) · de Schrubber (implement for washing floors) · ja モップ (implement for washing floors) · fr grimace (a grimace) · ary جفّافة (implement for washing floors) · nl zwabber (implement for washing floors) · es mechudo (implement for washing floors) · eu lanbas (implement for washing floors) · ca xolla (head of hair) · it scopino (implement for washing floors) · it spazzolone (implement for washing floors)

wikipedia: Quintilian

mop en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /mɑp/ (General-American)
• /mɒp/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English mappe (also as mappel), perhaps borrowed from Walloon mappe (“napkin”), from Latin mappa (“napkin, cloth”). Believed to be from a Semitic source, variously claimed as Phoenician or Punic (the latter by Quintilian). Compare Modern Hebrew מַפָּה (mapá, “a map; a cloth”) (shortened from מַנְפָּה (manpah, “fluttering banner, streaming cloth”)). Doublet of map, nape, and nappe.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop.
   • to mop one's face with a handkerchief
   • to mop (or scrub) a floor
2. (US, slang) To shoplift.
   • By “mopping” (stealing) the clothes and accessories necessary to effect their look, or by buying breasts, reconstructed noses, lifted chins, and female genitals, the children turn traditional ideas of labor around: […] 2013, Martha Gever, Pratibha Parmar, John Greyson, Queer Looks, page 111:

Forms

Deriveds

mop down · mopper · moppable · remop · mop up · mop the floor with someone · unmopped

Translations (33)

sv moppa (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · tr paspaslamak (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · it ripassare con lo spazzolone (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · tr paspas çekmek (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · es trapear (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · de moppen (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · is skúra (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · es mopear (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · hu felsúrol (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · io swabragar (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · fi luututa (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · sw deki (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · fi mopata (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · hu felmos (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · eo ŝvabri (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · bg бърша с моп (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · de nass wischen (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · es bayetear (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · hu feltöröl (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · yue 拖 (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · it lavare (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · mi mapu (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · it ripulire (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · is þvo (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · it dare lo spazzolone (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · tr paspas atmak (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · fr serpiller (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · is skrúbba (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · es fregar (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · hi पोछा लगाना (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · is moppa (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · no mopp (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop) · el σφουγγαρίζω (to rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop)

wikipedia: Quintilian

mop en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /mɑp/ (General-American)
• /mɒp/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English moppe (“fool, simpleton; derisive gesture; child, baby, doll”), of obscure origin, but compare Proto-West Germanic *mauwu (“pout, protruding lip”). Compare Low German mop, mops (“simpleton; pugnosed dog”), Dutch mop, mops (“pugnosed dog”), and the verb mope.

Meanings

1. (UK, dialectal, obsolete) The young of any animal.
2. (UK, dialectal, obsolete) A young girl; a moppet.
3. A made-up face; a grimace.
   • Before you can say 'Come' and 'Go,' And breathe twice; and cry 'so, so,' Each one, tripping on his toe, Will be here with mop and mow. 1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
   • It looked much prettier than before, but still maintained the elfish cast of the eye, like his father, whilst two or three children more had undergone a strange metamorphosis. For there sat on either side the bed's head, a couple of little flat-nosed imps, who with "mops and mows," and with many a grimace and grin, were busied to no end in scratching their own polls, or in pulling the fairy lady's ears with their long and hairy paws. 1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 302:
   • What mops and mowes it makes! -- c. 1621, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, “The Pilgrim”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act IV, scene ii:

Forms

mop en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• (US) audio
• /mɑp/ (General-American)
• /mɒp/ (Received-Pronunciation)

Etymology

From Middle English moppe (“fool, simpleton; derisive gesture; child, baby, doll”), of obscure origin, but compare Proto-West Germanic *mauwu (“pout, protruding lip”). Compare Low German mop, mops (“simpleton; pugnosed dog”), Dutch mop, mops (“pugnosed dog”), and the verb mope.

Meanings

1. (intransitive) To make a wry expression with the mouth.
   • There were women and children as well as men in the place, and all, ragged and half naked, mopped and mowed at the passers, or, leaping to their feet, defied them with unspeakable words and gestures. 1904, Stanley J. Weyman, “XII. The Peasants' Camp”, in The Abbess of Vlaye:
   • Flibbertigibbet, [is scared of] moping and mowing, who since possesses chambermaids and waiting-women c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:

Forms

Deriveds

moppet