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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Which of the following animal names traces its immediate origin to Portuguese?
Origin of mop-up
First recorded in 1895–1900; noun use of verb phrase mop up
Words nearby mop-up
MOPP, mopper-up, moppet, mopping-up, M.Opt., mop-up, mop up the floor with, mopy, moquette, Moqui, MOR
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2021
Example sentences from the Web for mop-up
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
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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.