Etymology From Middle English mappe (also as mappel), perhaps borrowed from Walloon mappe (“napkin”), from Latin mappa (“napkin, cloth”). Believed to be from a Semitic source, variously claimed as Phoenician or Punic (the latter by Quintilian). Compare Modern Hebrew מַפָּה (mapá, “a map; a cloth”) (shortened from מַנְפָּה (manpah, “fluttering banner, streaming cloth”)). Doublet of map, nape, and nappe.
1
To rub, scrub, clean or wipe with a mop, or as if with a mop.
By “mopping” (stealing) the clothes and accessories necessary to effect their look, or by buying breasts, reconstructed noses, lifted chins, and female genitals, the children turn traditional ideas of labor around: […]2013, Martha Gever, Pratibha Parmar, John Greyson, Queer Looks, page 111:
The MOP — a 30,000-pound bomb with 6,000 pounds of explosives — was designed for “reaching and destroying our adversaries’ weapons of mass destruction located in well-protected facilities,” according to a fact sheet from the US Air Force.2025 June 21, Kevin Liptak, “Strikes on Iranian nuclear sites thrust US into escalating Middle East conflict”, in CNN:
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Economics, SciencesMarxism, Abbreviation, Initialism Initialism of means of production.
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Economics, SciencesMarxism, Abbreviation, Initialism Initialism of mode of production.
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Internet, Abbreviation, Initialism Initialism of method of payment.
Item: TWICELAND Fantasy Park Photobook (Sealed) / Price: 800 pesos only / DOP: PAYO / MOD: SCO or GGX / MOP: BPI or Gcash2023 February 28, Teudoongie Shop (@TeudoongieShop), Twitter:
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Abbreviation, Initialism, Obsolete Initialism of muriate of potash.
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Abbreviation, Acronym Acronym of member of the public.
Etymology From Middle English mappe (also as mappel), perhaps borrowed from Walloon mappe (“napkin”), from Latin mappa (“napkin, cloth”). Believed to be from a Semitic source, variously claimed as Phoenician or Punic (the latter by Quintilian). Compare Modern Hebrew מַפָּה (mapá, “a map; a cloth”) (shortened from מַנְפָּה (manpah, “fluttering banner, streaming cloth”)). Doublet of map, nape, and nappe.
He ran a comb through his mop and hurried out the door.
The hair is very peculiar, being harsh, dry, and frizzly, growing in little tufts or curls, which in youth are very short and compact, but afterwards grow out to a considerable length, forming the compact frizzled mop which is the Papuans' pride and glory.1869, Alfred Russel Wallace, The Malay Archipelago, volume II, London: Macmillan and Co., page 445:
I means to goo to th' mop, 'er sez, fur I waants a chahinge.[…]'T wuz to w:Muckley mop 'er went.1897, Hamilton Kingsford, Vigornian Monologues: A Series of Papers in Illustration of the Dialect of Worcestershire, page 18:
The Mop Fairs attracted the attention of moralists. The hiring system was seen as a means to acquire girls for prostitution; although there is no evidence that this occurred in Stratford, where girls plying for hire were generally accompanied by their formidable mothers.2014 August 15, Nicholas Fogg, Stratford-upon-Avon: The Biography:
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Mop Fairs: Today's annual events are the modern version of the old hiring fairs, where people attended seeking employment or to change it. They are named after the practice of hopefully skilled employees carrying tassels, known as mops, in their buttonholes indicating their occupation. Those who had no trade carried a mop head. At the end of the following week, they could change employers or employees, at what was called the Runaway Mop.2022, Graham Sutherland, Secret Warwick:
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UK, Obsolete A tassel worn in a buttonhole to indicate ones occupation in such a fair.
Mop Fairs: Today's annual events are the modern version of the old hiring fairs, where people attended seeking employment or to change it. They are named after the practice of hopefully skilled employees carrying tassels, known as mops, in their buttonholes indicating their occupation. Those who had no trade carried a mop head. At the end of the following week, they could change employers or employees, at what was called the Runaway Mop.2022, Graham Sutherland, Secret Warwick:
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Multicultural London English, Slang A firearm particularly if it has a large magazine (compare broom, but still can be related to MP)
African-American Vernacular
Mainstream in this ting but I'm fully on opps Got shot with a mop but that boy never dropped2021 July 4, M24, “Plugged In”, Fumez the Engineer (music), 2:16–2:19:
Left his pa's farm and is now working at the city water works. Some say he's got to drink 'cause he works with blue vitriol and that kind of stuff. He was a drunken mop always.1931, Folk-say, page 183:
Etymology From Middle English moppe (“fool, simpleton; derisive gesture; child, baby, doll”), of obscure origin, but compare Proto-West Germanic *mauwu (“pout, protruding lip”). Compare Low German mop, mops (“simpleton; pugnosed dog”), Dutch mop, mops (“pugnosed dog”), and the verb mope.
1
To make a wry expression with the mouth.
Flibbertigibbet,[is scared of]moping and mowing, who since possesses chambermaids and waiting-womenc. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
There were women and children as well as men in the place, and all, ragged and half naked, mopped and mowed at the passers, or, leaping to their feet, defied them with unspeakable words and gestures.1904, Stanley J. Weyman, “XII. The Peasants' Camp”, in The Abbess of Vlaye:
What mops and mowes it makes! --c. 1621, John Fletcher, Philip Massinger, “The Pilgrim”, in Comedies and Tragedies […], London: […] Humphrey Robinson, […], and for Humphrey Moseley […], published 1647, →OCLC, Act IV, scene ii:
Before you can say 'Come' and 'Go,' And breathe twice; and cry 'so, so,' Each one, tripping on his toe, Will be here with mop and mow.1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act IV, scene i]:
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It looked much prettier than before, but still maintained the elfish cast of the eye, like his father, whilst two or three children more had undergone a strange metamorphosis. For there sat on either side the bed's head, a couple of little flat-nosed imps, who with "mops and mows," and with many a grimace and grin, were busied to no end in scratching their own polls, or in pulling the fairy lady's ears with their long and hairy paws.1850, Thomas Keightley, The Fairy Mythology, London: H.G. Bohn, page 302: