mopping
mopping — verb
- moppingpresent simple I / you / we / they
- moppings3rd person singular
- moppinging-ing form
- moppingedpast simple
1. to clean a floor or other flat surface by pushing a wet mop across it, usually a
to clean a floor or other flat surface by pushing a wet mop across it, usually after applying water or cleaning liquid
Andrew was mopping the kitchen tiles when the delivery van arrived.
mop + noun phrase (kitchen tiles)
The night-shift cleaner mopped the hospital corridor after the last visitor left.
past simple: mopped + location
Nora filled the bucket with hot water before she began mopping the dining hall.
Paloma asked her son to mop the bathroom floor after his shower.
The janitor mopped up the spilled juice before it stained the wooden floor.
- dirty
to make something unclean, the opposite action
文法句型
mop + noun phrase (floor / kitchen / spill)
mop up + noun phrase (spilled liquid / mess)
用法筆記
The phrasal verb 'mop up' is used when removing a specific spilled liquid. For general floor cleaning, 'mop' alone (without 'up') is more common.
常見錯誤
2. to rub a part of your body with a cloth, tissue, or your hand in order to remove
to rub a part of your body with a cloth, tissue, or your hand in order to remove sweat, tears, or other liquid
After the race, Daichi mopped his forehead with a small towel.
mop + possessive + body part + with + cloth
Sirin gently mopped the tears from her daughter's cheeks with a soft cloth.
mop + tears from + body part
The chef stopped stirring the soup to mop the sweat from his brow.
Andrew pulled a handkerchief from his pocket and mopped his face.
Ilan took off his glasses and mopped the sweat from his brow with his sleeve.
文法句型
mop + noun phrase (brow / forehead / face / sweat / tears)
用法筆記
Fixed expression 'mop one's brow' or 'mop one's forehead' for wiping sweat from the face. Slightly more informal than the general verb 'wipe'.
常見錯誤
mopping — noun
1. a cleaning tool with a long handle and soft strips at the bottom that soak up wa
a cleaning tool with a long handle and soft strips at the bottom that soak up water, designed to wash floors
The old wooden mop had left scratches across the marble floor.
Wring out the mop before you start cleaning, or the floor will be too wet.
collocation: wring out a mop
Nora bought a new mop with a long handle to reach under the sofa.
The cleaner leaned his mop against the wall while he took a short break.
A mop and a bucket of soapy water stood in the corner of the hallway.
- swab
a smaller mop-like tool used in medical or nautical contexts
用法筆記
The noun 'mop' (not 'mopping') is the standard form for referring to the tool itself. 'Mopping' as a noun refers to the activity. Learners should use 'mop' when talking about the object.
常見錯誤
2. a thick, untidy mass of hair that looks similar to a mop's soft absorbent end
a thick, untidy mass of hair that looks similar to a mop's soft absorbent end
The toddler had a mop of curly brown hair that bounced when she ran.
fixed phrase: a mop of [adjective] hair
Henrik pushed his dark mop of hair out of his eyes before reading the letter.
The shaggy dog shook its wet mop of fur all over the kitchen floor.
With a quick cut, the barber transformed the boy's unruly mop into a neat style.
用法筆記
This is a metaphorical use. It appears almost exclusively in the phrase 'a mop of hair' (or 'fur' for animals) and describes hair that is thick, curly, or messy.