MOP UP

Pronunciation (US):

(GB):

IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does mop up mean? 

• MOP UP (noun)
  The noun MOP UP has 1 sense:

1. a concluding action

  Familiarity information: MOP UP used as a noun is very rare.

• MOP UP (verb)
  The verb MOP UP has 3 senses:

1. to wash or wipe with or as if with a mop

2. defeat thoroughly

3. finish a task completely

  Familiarity information: MOP UP used as a verb is uncommon.

 Dictionary entry details 

• MOP UP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

A concluding action

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

closing; completion; culmination; mop up; windup

Hypernyms ("mop up" is a kind of...):

conclusion; ending; termination (the act of ending something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "mop up"):

consummation (the act of bringing to completion or fruition)

consummation (the completion of marriage by sexual intercourse)

finish; finishing (the act of finishing)

finalisation; finalization (the act of finalizing)

follow-through (carrying some project or intention to full completion)

follow-through (the act of carrying a stroke to its natural completion)

graduation (the successful completion of a program of study)

Derivation:

mop up (finish a task completely)

• MOP UP (verb)

Sense 1

Meaning:

To wash or wipe with or as if with a mop

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

mop; mop up; wipe up

Context example:

He mopped her forehead with a towel

Hypernyms (to "mop up" is one way to...):

absorb; draw; imbibe; soak up; sop up; suck; suck up; take in; take up (take in, also metaphorically)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "mop up"):

swab; swob (wash with a swab or a mop)

sponge (soak up with a sponge)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 2

Meaning:

Defeat thoroughly

Classified under:

Verbs of fighting, athletic activities

Synonyms:

mop up; pip; rack up; whip; worst

Context example:

He mopped up the floor with his opponents

Hypernyms (to "mop up" is one way to...):

beat; beat out; crush; shell; trounce; vanquish (come out better in a competition, race, or conflict)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Sentence example:

The fighter managed to mop up his opponent

Sense 3

Meaning:

Finish a task completely

Classified under:

Verbs of size, temperature change, intensifying, etc.

Synonyms:

clear up; finish off; finish up; get through; mop up; polish off; wrap up

Context example:

I finally got through this homework assignment

Hypernyms (to "mop up" is one way to...):

complete; finish (come or bring to a finish or an end)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "mop up"):

cap off (finish or complete, as with some decisive action)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something

Derivation:

mop up (a concluding action)