sop Definition
- 1a piece of bread or pastry that is dipped into a liquid, such as soup or gravy, before being eaten
- 2something given or done to appease or pacify someone
- 3a conciliatory or propitiatory bribe, gift, or gesture
Using sop: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "sop" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
He used a sop to soak up the last of the gravy on his plate.
Example
The company offered a sop to the union by promising not to lay off any workers.
Example
The government's concessions were seen as a sop to the protesters.
sop Synonyms and Antonyms
Phrases with sop
to give someone a small or token concession or benefit in order to appease them or distract them from a larger issue
Example
The company threw the workers a sop by offering free coffee and donuts, but refused to negotiate on wages.
sop up
to absorb or soak up a liquid with a piece of bread or other absorbent material
Example
She used a piece of bread to sop up the last of the soup in her bowl.
a reference to the mythological three-headed dog that guards the entrance to Hades, used to describe a situation where someone makes a deal with an unsavory or dangerous person or group in order to achieve their goals
Example
The politician was accused of making a sop to Cerberus by accepting campaign donations from a notorious criminal organization.
Origins of sop
from Old English 'soppian', meaning 'to dip (bread) in liquid'
Summary: sop in Brief
The term 'sop' [sɑp] refers to a piece of bread or pastry dipped in liquid, or something given to appease or pacify someone. It can be used in phrases like 'throw someone a sop,' meaning to give a small concession to distract from a larger issue, or 'sop up,' meaning to absorb a liquid with bread. 'Sop to Cerberus' is an idiom used to describe making a deal with an unsavory person or group to achieve one's goals.
