drop cloth

American  

Or dropcloth

noun

1. a sheet of cloth, paper, plastic, or the like laid over furniture and floors for protection while a room is being painted or laid over shrubbery while the exterior of a house is being painted.

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Etymology

Origin of drop cloth

First recorded in 1925–30

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

drop cloth

Wedge a drop cloth or some newspapers on the floor underneath, and expect to apply one to two thorough coats.

From Washington Post ● Dec. 14, 2022

In a crumbly brick building along the industrial waterfront, the actor Adrien Brody knelt on a drop cloth, smearing and swirling paint with a plastic card until it formed patterns, layers and streaks.

From New York Times ● Feb. 5, 2022

Every night, he would roll up the drop cloth, vacuum and take a shower.

From Seattle Times ● Jul. 20, 2021

She’s also found that the mats work well as a drop cloth under a baby’s high chair and, in a pinch, as a compact bath mat.

From Slate ● Jan. 4, 2019

He walked in, straightened the drop cloth in the front hall, and made his way to the back of the house.

From "Zeitoun" by Dave Eggers