Mop

Part of speech: noun, verb

Pronunciation: /mÉ’p/

Definitions

  1. A tool consisting of a bundle of absorbent material attached to a handle used for cleaning floors ; to clean or wipe a surface using such a tool ; to move about with a sad or gloomy demeanor
  2. An implement designed for mopping floors and surfaces by absorbing moisture ; the act of using this implement to remove dirt or liquids ; to behave in a depressed or dispirited manner
  3. A household device made of fabric or sponge attached to a stick for washing floors ; the process of applying this device to cleanse areas ; to appear downcast or to show unhappiness in movement

Etymology: The mop that cleans your kitchen floor may have started life as a bundle of rags on a stick, or as a bit of Hebrew for a "fluttering banner," depending on which old theory you trust. The Middle English form "mappel" is attested, and the word has long been linked to a Latin term for a cloth, though those links are uncertain. Scholars have also proposed that the English word is connected to a Hebrew term meaning a streaming cloth, but this is debated, and the source of the English word remains unclear. A more solid lead comes from the Germanic side. Low German and Dutch have "mop" or "mops," meaning a pug-nosed dog, and a simpleton. These words are related to the English verb "mope," suggesting a link to a protruding or sulky lip. The connection between a sulky face and a floor cloth is not obvious, which is why the origin remains a puzzle.

Synonyms: cleaning tool, swab, squeegee, rag, cloth

Antonyms: mess