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
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.
First recorded in 1895–1900; noun use of verb phrase mop up
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Since they were already there, he figured, some extra mop-up could save them work down the line if the fire were to reignite.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
A firefighter picking up hoses on Jan. 2 found crackling, red-hot coals in the dirt and warned colleagues that a more thorough mop-up was needed.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 11, 2026
His final three games came in a mop-up role for a Green Bay team that went 4-12 in 1986.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 25, 2026
Even with the internal investigation underway, Moore said he spoke with the battalion chief who was on duty during the Lachman fire mop-up.
From Los Angeles Times • Jan. 13, 2026
"Congratulations on the mop-up, which I understand was one hundred point oh oh oh percent," the officer said.
From Man of Many Minds by Evans, E. Everett (Edward Everett)
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
