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mop-up

[ mop-uhp ]
/ ˈmɒpˌʌp /
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See synonyms for: mop-up / mop-ups on Thesaurus.com

noun
the act, process, or an instance of mopping up; completion of an operation or action.
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Origin of mop-up

First recorded in 1895–1900; noun use of verb phrase mop up
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use mop-up in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for mop-up

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
Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with mop-up

mop up

1

Clear an area of remaining enemy troops after a victory, as in They left behind just one squadron to mop up. [c. 1900]

2

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.
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