Word forms: plural, 3rd person singular presenttense mops, present participle mopping, past tense, past participle mopped
1. countable noun
A mop is a piece of equipment for washing floors. It consists of a sponge or many pieces of string attached to a long handle.
2. verb
If you mop a surface such as a floor, you clean it with a mop.
There was a woman mopping the stairs. [VERB noun]
Synonyms: clean, wash, wipe, sponge More Synonyms of mop
3. verb
If you mop sweat from your forehead or mop your forehead, you wipe it with a piece of cloth.
He mopped perspiration from his forehead. [VERB noun + from]
The Inspector took out a handkerchief and mopped his brow. [VERB noun]
4. countable noun
If someone has a mopof hair, they have a lot of hair and it looks rather untidy.
He was long-limbed and dark-eyed, with a mop of tight, dark curls. [+ of]
Synonyms: mane, shock, mass, tangle More Synonyms of mop
Phrasal verbs:
See mop up
More Synonyms of mop
mop in British English1
(mɒp)
noun
1.
an implement with a wooden handle and a head made of twists of cotton or a piece of synthetic sponge, used for polishing or washing floors, or washing dishes
2.
something resembling this, such as a tangle of hair
verbWord forms: mops, mopping or mopped
3. (transitive; often foll byup)
to clean or soak up with or as if with a mop
Word origin
C15 mappe, from earlier mappel, from Medieval Latin mappula cloth, from Latin mappa napkin
mop in British English2
(mɒp) rare
verbWord forms: mops, mopping or mopped
1. (intransitive)
to make a grimace or sad expression (esp in the phrase mop and mow)
noun
2.
such a face or expression
Word origin
C16: perhaps from Dutch moppen to pour; compare Dutch mop pug dog
mop in British English3
(mɒp)
noun
(formerly, in various parts of England) an annual fair at which servants were hired
Word origin
C17: from the practice of servants carrying a mop, broom, or flail, etc, to signifythe job sought
mop in American English1
(mɑp)
noun
1.
a bundle of loose rags or yarns, a sponge, etc. fastened to the end of a stick, as for washing or wiping floors
2.
anything suggestive of this, as a thick head of hair
verb transitiveWord forms: mopped or ˈmopping
3.
to wash, rub, wipe, or remove with or as with a mop
often with up
Idioms:
mop up
mop (up) the floor with
Derived forms
mopper (ˈmopper)
noun
Word origin
Early ModE mappe, naut. term < ? Walloon mappe < L mappa, napkin: see map
mop in American English2
(mɑp)
noun, verb intransitiveWord forms: mopped or ˈmopping
Archaic
grimace
Word origin
< or akin to MDu moppen, MHG muffen, to grimace: for base see mope
You'll look the part as you mop the sweat from your brow with these pink wristbands.
The Sun (2016)
He positions his tie over the gap, but when he spills tea on his trousers the tie is deployed to mop up the mess.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
They use bits of kitchen mop heads - irresistible to trout - instead of crafting imitation flies.
The Sun (2016)
Cue a wry smile and a mopped brow.
Times, Sunday Times (2016)
He was a slight man with a wrinkled face and a mop of grey hair.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
Africa must stop standing on the sideline and watching others mop up its mess.
Times, Sunday Times (2008)
He hid his famous mop of hair beneath a baseball cap and chatted on a mobile phone.
The Sun (2006)
The hair is a romantic, dark mop with a parting left to right.
Times, Sunday Times (2007)
He's not messed with his mop since.
The Sun (2015)
You've survived all the filthy names she called you in hospital when you mopped her brow wrong.
Times, Sunday Times (2013)
I was soon left mopping my brow.
The Sun (2008)
Hollywood was strangely unsentimental about its own history: costumes that would now be considered sacrosanct were frequently cut up and used to mop floors.
Times, Sunday Times (2011)
So she stripped off her gloves, dug her handkerchief out of her pocket, and mopped at her face.
Christina Dodd SOMEDAY MY PRINCE (1999)
A headband can add a pop of colour to your workout gear, keep your locks under control and mop sweat from your brow while you exercise.
The Sun (2013)
IF you're constantly mopping sweat from your brow, it could be a sign your diet needs some attention.
The Sun (2014)
In other languages
mop
British English: mop /mɒp/ NOUN
A mop consists of a sponge or many pieces of string attached to a long handle and is used for washing floors.
American English: mop
Arabic: مِـمْسَحَةٌ
Brazilian Portuguese: esfregão
Chinese: 拖把
Croatian: mekana metla za pranje poda
Czech: mop
Danish: moppe
Dutch: zwabber
European Spanish: fregona
Finnish: moppi
French: serpillière
German: Mopp
Greek: σφουγγαρίστρα
Italian: scopa a filacce
Japanese: モップ
Korean: 대걸레
Norwegian: mopp
Polish: mop
European Portuguese: esfregona
Romanian: mop
Russian: швабра
Latin American Spanish: fregona
Swedish: mopp
Thai: ไม้ถูพื้น
Turkish: paspas yer silme
Ukrainian: швабра
Vietnamese: cây lau nhà
British English: mop VERB
If you mop a surface such as a floor, you clean it with a mop.
There was a woman mopping the stairs.
American English: mop
Brazilian Portuguese: esfregar
Chinese: 用拖把擦
European Spanish: fregar
French: passer la serpillère sur
German: wischen
Italian: lavare con lo straccio
Japanese: モップでふく
Korean: 대걸레로 닦다
European Portuguese: esfregar
Latin American Spanish: trapear
Definition of 'mop'
Chinese translation of 'mop'
mop
(mɔp)
n(c)
(for floors) 拖把 (tuōbǎ) (个(個), gè)
mop (of hair)蓬乱(亂)的(头(頭)发(髮)) (péngluàn de (tóufa))
vt
[floor]用拖把擦洗 (yòng tuōbǎ cāxǐ)
[brow, forehead]擦 (cā)
1 (noun)
Definition
a similar tool, except smaller and without a long handle, used to wash dishes
He was standing outside the door with a mop and bucket.
Synonyms
squeegee
sponge
swab
2 (noun)
Definition
a thick untidy mass of hair
He was dark-eyed with a mop of tight curls.
Synonyms
mane
shock
a very old priest with a shock of white hair
mass
tangle
a tangle of wires
mat
the thick mat of sandy hair on his chest
thatch
(verb)
Definition
to clean or soak up with or as if with a mop
There was a woman mopping the stairs.
Synonyms
clean
Her father cleaned his glasses with a paper napkin.
It took half an hour to clean the orange powder off the bath.
wash
He got a job washing dishes in a pizza parlour.
wipe
She wiped her hands on the towel.
sponge
Gently sponge your face and body.
swab
squeegee
phrasal verb
See mop something up
Additional synonyms
in the sense of mat
the thick mat of sandy hair on his chest
Synonyms
mass,
shock,
cluster,
tangle,
knot,
mop,
thatch,
mane
in the sense of shock
Definition
a thick bushy mass of hair
a very old priest with a shock of white hair
Synonyms
mass,
head,
mop,
tangle,
cascade,
thatch,
mane
in the sense of sponge
Definition
to clean (something) by rubbing it with a wet sponge
Gently sponge your face and body.
Synonyms
swab,
wipe,
mop,
clean,
wash,
rinse,
sluice
Nearby words of
mop
moonshine
moor
moot
mop
mop something up
mope
moral
Related terms of
mop
mop something up
Synonyms of 'mop'
mop
Explore 'mop' in the dictionary
Additional synonyms
in the sense of tangle
Definition
a confused or complicated mass of things, such as hair or fibres, knotted or coiled together
a tangle of wires
Synonyms
knot,
mass,
twist,
web,
jungle,
mat,
coil,
snarl,
mesh,
ravel,
entanglement
in the sense of wash
Definition
to clean (oneself, part of one's body, or a thing) with soap or detergent and water
He got a job washing dishes in a pizza parlour.
Synonyms
clean,
scrub,
sponge,
rinse,
scour,
cleanse
in the sense of wipe
Definition
to rub (a surface or object) lightly with a cloth or the hand, in order to remove dirt or liquid from it