Topic: CLEANING
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mop2 past tense and past participle mopped, present participle mopping
1 [intransitive and transitive]DHC to wash a floor with a wet mop : 
She carried on mopping the floor.
She carried on mopping the floor.2 [transitive] to dry your face by rubbing it with a cloth or something soft [= wipe]: It was so hot he had to keep stopping to mop his face.
It was so hot he had to keep stopping to mop his face.3 [intransitive and transitive] to remove liquid from a surface by rubbing it with a cloth or something soft
mop something from something She gently mopped the blood from the wound. He mopped the sweat from his face.
She gently mopped the blood from the wound.He mopped the sweat from his face.4 to completely defeat someone, for example in a game or argument [= wipe the floor with somebody British English] We mopped the floor with the team from Pomona High.
mop the floor with somebody
American EnglishWe mopped the floor with the team from Pomona High.mop something/somebody ↔ up
phrasal verb1DHC to remove liquid with a mop, a cloth, or something soft, especially in order to clean a surface [= wipe up]: Mop the sauce up with your bread. He mopped up the spilt milk.
Mop the sauce up with your bread.He mopped up the spilt milk.2PMA to remove or deal with something which you think is undesirable or dangerous, so that it is no longer a problem : The usual solution is to send in infantry to mop up any remaining opposition. The rebellion has been crushed, but mopping-up operations may take several weeks.
The usual solution is to send in infantry to mop up any remaining opposition.The rebellion has been crushed, but mopping-up operations may take several weeks.WORD FOCUS: clean 
WORD FOCUS: clean
wash with soap and water
wipe with a damp cloth
brush with a brush to remove the dirt
polish by rubbing with a cloth
scrub by rubbing hard
sweep with a broom
mop with water and a mop (a tool with a long handle)
vacuum also hoover British English with a machine that sucks up dust
disinfect using chemicals to kill germs
cleanse to clean your skin using a special cream
rinse to put water on to remove dirt or soap
dust to remove dust, for example with a cloth
➔ See also clean
WORD FOCUS: clean wash with soap and water
wipe with a damp cloth
brush with a brush to remove the dirt
polish by rubbing with a cloth
scrub by rubbing hard
sweep with a broom
mop with water and a mop (a tool with a long handle)
vacuum also hoover British English with a machine that sucks up dust
disinfect using chemicals to kill germs
cleanse to clean your skin using a special cream
rinse to put water on to remove dirt or soap
dust to remove dust, for example with a cloth
➔ See also clean
