mop (redirected from mopped)

mop something down

to clean a surface with a mop. Please mop this floor down now. Please mop down this floor.

mop something off

to wipe the liquid off something. Please mop the counter off with paper towels. Mop off the counter.

mop something up

to clean up something, such as a spill, with a mop or with a mopping motion. Please mop this mess up. I will mop up this mess.

See also: up

mop something up with something

to clean or remove something from something else using a mop, rag, towel, etc. I can mop the mess up with this old rag mop. She will mop up the mess with the rag.

See also: up

mop the floor up with someone

to overwhelm and physically subdue someone; to beat someone. Stop talking like that, or I'll mop the floor up with you! Did you hear that? He threatened to mop up the floor with me!

See also: floor, up

mop up (after someone or something)

1. Lit. to clean up with a mop a sloppy mess made by someone or something. I am the one who has to mop up after the mess you made!

2. Fig. to rectify a problem that someone or something has created. You made a fuss in the conference and upset everyone. I spent hours mopping up after you in private meetings with all in attendance.

See also: up

mopping-up operation

a clean-up operation; the final stages in a project where the loose ends are taken care of. It's all over except a small mopping-up operation. The mopping-up operation from the hurricane should cost just under twenty million.

That's the way the ball bounces. and That's the way the cookie crumbles.; That's the way the mop flops.

Prov. You cannot control everything that happens to you.; You should accept the bad things that happen. Bill: I bought a hundred lottery tickets this week, but I still didn't win! Alan: That's the way the ball bounces. I was planning to have fun on my vacation, but I've been sick the whole time. I guess that's just the way the cookie crumbles. That's tough, but that's the way the mop flops.

See also: ball, bounce, way

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wipe the floor with somebody   (British, American & Australian) also mop the floor with somebody (American)

to defeat someone easily Alex is always really good in a debate, she'll wipe the floor with them.

See also: floor, wipe

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mop up (something) also mop something up

1. to complete something The fire wasn't completely out, and we should have stayed and mopped it up.

2. to rid an area of an enemy Army troops were mopping up the last of the rebel fighters.

3. to remove what has been damaged by a storm or other violent event California has just started to mop up after two storms blasted the state.

4. to remove the results of a problem Altman's department was in charge of mopping up the banking scandal.

See also: up

mop up somebody also mop somebody up

to defeat someone The vice president mopped up his opponent in a televised debate. Everyone says he's a great fighter, but Ali could have mopped him up in a second.

See also: up