mop-up
[ mop-uhp ]
/ ˈmɒpˌʌp /
noun
the act, process, or an instance of mopping up; completion of an operation or action.
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Nearby words
moot hall, moot point, mop, mop up, mop up the floor with, mop-up, mopani, mopani worm, mopboard, mope, moped
Origin of mop-up
First recorded in 1895–1900; noun use of verb phrase mop up
Definition for mop up (2 of 2)
Origin of mop
11375–1425; earlier map, late Middle English mappe, apocopated variant of mappel < Medieval Latin mappula a cloth, equivalent to Latin mapp(a) napkin + -ula -ule
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019
British Dictionary definitions for mop up (1 of 4)
mop up
verb (tr, adverb)
to clean with a mop
informal to complete (a task, etc)
military to clear (remaining enemy forces) after a battle, as by killing, taking prisoner, etc
noun mop-up
the act or an instance of mopping up
British Dictionary definitions for mop up (2 of 4)
mop
1/ (mɒp) /
noun
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
something resembling this, such as a tangle of hair
verb mops, mopping or mopped
(tr often foll by up) to clean or soak up with or as if with a mop
See also mop up
Word Origin for mop
C15 mappe, from earlier mappel, from Medieval Latin mappula cloth, from Latin mappa napkin
British Dictionary definitions for mop up (3 of 4)
mop
2/ (mɒp) rare /
verb mops, mopping or mopped
(intr) to make a grimace or sad expression (esp in the phrase mop and mow)
noun
such a face or expression
Word Origin for mop
C16: perhaps from Dutch moppen to pour; compare Dutch mop pug dog
British Dictionary definitions for mop up (4 of 4)
mop
3/ (mɒp) /
noun
(in various parts of England) an annual fair at which formerly servants were hired
Word Origin for mop
C17: from the practice of servants carrying a mop, broom, or flail, etc, to signify the job sought
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition
© William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins
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Idioms and Phrases with mop up
mop up
Clear an area of remaining enemy troops after a victory, as in They left behind just one squadron to mop up. [c. 1900]
Perform the minor tasks that conclude a project or activity, as in Go ahead, I'll mop up these last invoices. [First half of 1900s] Both usages transfer the task of housecleaning with a mop to other kinds of cleanup.
The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.