mop
C2Pronunciation
UK
- /mˈɒp/
US
- /ˈmɑp/
Meanings
Noun
a cleaning tool with absorbent material on the end, used for washing floors or wiping up liquid
a thick or messy mass of hair on someone's head
Verb
to clean or wipe up with a mop or other absorbent material
Beyond the definition
A mop is not just for floors. Most people picture a tool with cloth, strings, or a sponge on a long handle, used to clean a floor. But "mop" can also mean a thick, messy head of hair. You might say a person in a movie has a "mop" of hair if it looks full and a little wild.
As a verb, it means to clean with this tool, but it can also mean to wipe up liquid like sweat, tears, or spilled juice. For example, you can mop the kitchen floor, mop your brow, or mop up a drink that fell on the table. It is a simple word, but it shows up in a few everyday situations.
The word "mop" has several common meanings in everyday English. Most often, it means a cleaning tool used on floors and sometimes other surfaces. It usually has absorbent material, such as cloth strips, strings, or a sponge, attached to a long handle. You might mop the kitchen floor after dinner or use it to clean up a wet, dirty spot.
The word can also describe a thick, messy mass of hair. If someone has a lot of hair that looks full, untidy, or hard to control, you might say they have a "mop of hair." This use is informal and paints a clear picture of hair that looks heavy or a little wild.
As a verb, "to mop" means to clean with a mop, but it also means to wipe up moisture or liquid. You can mop up water from the floor, mop your brow with a towel, or mop up a spill before it spreads. In some contexts, "mop up" also means to finish cleaning up what is left.
So the word works well for household cleaning, for wiping away liquid, and for describing thick hair. It is a common, useful word with a few clear meanings that are easy to recognize from context.
Examples
- 1
Cleaning tool
I need a new mop for the kitchen floor.
- 2
Household chore
Could you mop the bathroom before the guests arrive?
- 3
Spilled liquid
He used a towel to mop up the water by the door.
- Patternmop up + liquid
clean away liquid
- 4
Sweat
She paused to mop her forehead with a tissue after the run.
More examplesFewer examples
- 5
Food
We used some bread to mop up the sauce.
- Patternmop up + liquid
soak it up with something
- 6
Thick hair
The little boy had a mop of curly hair.
- Phrasea mop of hair
a lot of thick, messy hair
See also
Forms and spellings
4 forms open this card.
Main spelling
- mopnounverb
Forms
- mopping-ing formverbnoun
- mopspluralnounverb
- moppedpast tenseverbnoun