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verb

sop

sop

Sop (verb) means to dip or soak something, especially bread, in a liquid. Example: “He sopped up the last of the gravy with a piece of bread.”

verb
1
To dip or soak something, especially bread, in a liquid.
"He sopped up the last of the gravy with a piece of bread."
noun
1
Something offered to placate or appease someone, often half-heartedly.
"The extra day off was just a sop to keep the staff quiet."

How to use sop

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo soak something in liquid, or a small concession given to calm someone down.

Common pairings
sop up the sauce a sop to critics

Word forms

sopped past tense, sops singular

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The extra day off was just a _____ to keep the staff quiet.

Etymology

From Old English sopa, "a piece of bread soaked in liquid" — related to "sup" and a doublet of "soup."

Origin: Old English

soak douse drench sops dowse souse soak through standard procedure standing operating procedure standard operating procedure

Related words

Frequently asked questions

What does “sop” mean?

The word “sop” means to dip or soak something, especially bread, in a liquid. In plain terms, to soak something in liquid, or a small concession given to calm someone down.

How do you pronounce “sop”?

“Sop” is pronounced sop (/sɑp/ in IPA).

How do you use “sop” in a sentence?

Here is “sop” used in a sentence: “He sopped up the last of the gravy with a piece of bread.”

What part of speech is “sop”?

Depending on how it is used, “sop” can be a verb and a noun.

Where does the word “sop” come from?

The word “sop” comes from Old English. From Old English sopa, "a piece of bread soaked in liquid" — related to "sup" and a doublet of "soup.".

How many meanings does “sop” have?

“Sop” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: to dip or soak something, especially bread, in a liquid.

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Definitions: FreeDict original editorial