soap

Pluralsoaps

Formssoaps, soaping, soaped

1. 1
   nouncountable or uncountable

   A cleaning substance made when fats are mixed with strong chemicals.

   Like a helper that grabs onto oil and dirt so water can wash them away.

   We make soap by boiling fat with lye.

   This soap is gentle on the skin.

   Note
2. 2
   verbtransitive

   To rub soap onto something while washing it.

   She soaped her hands before dinner.

   Soap the dishes well before you rinse them.

   Similarlather

3. 3
   nouncolloquialcountable

   A TV drama series that follows the same characters over many episodes.

   Like a story that never really ends, with new twists every week.

   She never misses her favorite soap on weekday afternoons.

   That show is the most popular soap on television.

   Similarserial

4. 4
   verbcolloquialtransitive

   To cover something with soap, often as a joke.

   The kids soaped the neighbor's windows on Halloween.

   Don't soap my car windows again!

5. 5
   nouncolloquialcountable or uncountable

   A cleaning substance, like a detergent, that mixes with both oil and water.

   Like a bridge that holds oil with one hand and water with the other.

   Add a little soap to the bucket of warm water before mopping the floor.

   This soap works on greasy pans and dirty laundry alike.

   Similardetergent, cleanser

   Note
6. 6
   nounslangcountable or uncountable

   Money, especially money given secretly to make someone do what you want.

   Like oil that helps a stiff door swing open: money used to make things go your way.

   The inspector took some soap to look the other way.

   They handed over a little soap to speed things along.

   Similargrease, bribe

   Note
7. 7
   nouncountable

   A brick that is thinner or shorter than a normal brick.

   Like a thin slice cut from a loaf instead of using a whole piece, but for bricks.

   The bricklayer used a soap to fill the narrow gap.

   Each soap is slimmer than a full-size brick.

8. 8
   verbcolloquialtransitive

   To keep quiet about something and not talk about it openly.

   They soaped the whole affair to protect the family name.

   Let's soap this for now and tell no one.

   Similardownplay, soft-pedal

   Oppositepublicize

9. 9
   nounslanguncountable

   A strong drug that puts people to sleep, sometimes used to make them talk freely.

   Like a sleeping medicine so strong it makes people drop their guard and speak.

   The spy feared they would dose him with soap to make him talk.

   In the movie, agents used soap to get the truth from the prisoner.

   Note

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