mop

¹ American  

[mop] / mɒp /

noun

1. a bundle of coarse yarn, a sponge, or other absorbent material, fastened at the end of a stick or handle for washing floors, dishes, etc.

2. a thick mass of hair.

3. a polishing wheel having several layers of cloth secured by a boss.

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verb (used with object)

mopped, mopping

1. to rub, wipe, clean, or remove with a mop (often followed byup ).

   to mop up a spill.

2. to wipe as if with a mop.

   to mop the face with a handkerchief.

verb (used without object)

mopped, mopping

1. to clean or wipe with or as if with a mop (often followed byup ).

   First he swept, then he mopped up.

verb phrase

1. mop up

   1. Military. to clear (ground, trenches, towns, etc.) of scattered or remaining enemy combatants after attacking forces have conquered the area.

   2. Informal. to dispose of; complete; finish.

      He mopped up the rest of his business and went on a vacation.

idioms

1. mop the floor with. floor.

mop ² American  

[mop] / mɒp /

verb (used without object)

mopped, mopping

1. to make a disappointed or unhappy face; grimace.

   an unruly child that mops and mows.

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noun

1. a wry face; grimace.

mop ¹ British  

/ 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

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verb

1. to clean or soak up with or as if with a mop

mop ² British  

/ mɒp /

verb

1. (intr) to make a grimace or sad expression (esp in the phrase mop and mow )

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noun

1. such a face or expression

mop ³ British  

/ mɒp /

noun

1. (in various parts of England) an annual fair at which formerly servants were hired

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Etymology

Origin of mop¹

First recorded in 1375–1425; earlier map, late Middle English mappe, shortening f mappel, from Medieval Latin mappula, mappa “handtowel, cloth,” equivalent to Latin mapp(a) “napkin” + -ula -ule

Origin of mop²

First recorded in 1450–1500 for the noun, and in 1560–70 for the verb; perhaps akin to Dutch moppen “to mutter, pout”

Explanation

A mop is a tool for cleaning a floor. Most mops have a long handle and a sponge or bundle of absorbent strings on one end. If someone says that your hair looks like a mop, that's not a compliment. When you use a mop, you mop the floor. Mops can be used dry, but more often they're dunked in a soapy bucket of water before they mop the floor. You can also "mop up" a mess or a spill, even if you're using a cloth, a sponge, or a paper towel instead of a mop. The earliest mops were used to clean ships' decks, and the word comes from the Latin mappa, "napkin."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

mop mopped mopping

The Spaniard was wearing a compression sleeve on his right arm, and the skin fade of earlier in the year has been replaced by a mop of black hair.

From BBC ● Aug. 25, 2026

Households in India have long relied on an informal army of domestic workers to mop floors, wash dishes and cook meals.

From Barron's ● Jul. 22, 2026

She says she is only supposed to mop and sanitize when there is vomit or excrement.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026

I mop their famous gravy with a hunk of sourdough and hear Sancho Panza in my head and I grin.

From Salon ● Jun. 23, 2026

No, a permanent site has to be near a city big enough to mop them up.

From "Black Swan Green" by David Mitchell

"I have mopped my room more than eight times," she told AFP.

From BBC ● Jun. 30, 2026

At First Watch, by the end of Fermine’s shift at around 3 p.m., he will have washed hundreds of dishes, taken out the trash and mopped up the dish room.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026

Large investment firms mopped up foreclosed homes after the 2008 housing crash, placing a floor on prices.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 10, 2026

Together, we mopped the floors, emptied the cabinets of half-eaten bags of pasta and threw away Tupperware with missing tops.

From Los Angeles Times ● Apr. 8, 2025

Their mama chatted with folks, asking about their sick grandmas and making on over their babies while their redheaded daddy mopped his face with a handkerchief.

From "Wish" by Barbara O'Connor

Routine tasks such as mopping floors, spraying countertops, and wiping surfaces with scented products generate billions or trillions of particles, with the total depending on the product.

From Science Daily ● Sep. 26, 2026

At the institute, Wright participated in a work-study program — mopping floors, answering phones and interviewing other acting hopefuls to see if they had what it took to make it in the program.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026

They are also essential workhorses, often the last to leave at night, after mopping floors and taking out the trash.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 12, 2026

Fallon said his neighbour has been mopping up inside while he tries to clear water away outside.

From BBC ● Jan. 27, 2026

Mrs. Weasley fell back against her husband and watched Fleur mopping up Bill’s wounds with a most curious expression upon her face.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• dab
• swab
• wipe