mop up

To remove spilled liquid by using a cloth, sponge, or floor cleaning tool.

• Please mop up the milk.
• She mopped up the water with an old towel.
• Have you mopped up the spill in the kitchen?

How to use it: mop something up (Please mop the water up before someone slips.)

Similar words: wipe up, soak up

Common phrases: mop up water, mop up a spill

To use bread or similar food to collect liquid left on your plate and eat it.

• Use bread to mop up the sauce.
• He mopped up the last of the gravy with a roll.
• Would you like some bread to mop up those juices?

How to use it: mop up something with something (I mopped up the sauce with bread.)

Similar words: soak up

Common phrases: mop up sauce, mop up gravy

To clear and clean a place after a flood, storm, fire, or fighting.

• Crews are mopping up after the flood.
• Soldiers mopped up the damaged area after the fighting.
• Volunteers arrived to mop up the ruined streets.

How to use it: mop up after something (Residents helped mop up after the storm.)

Similar words: clean up, clear up

Common phrases: mop up after floods, mop up the area

To deal with problems or harm left after something has gone wrong.

• We need to mop up these problems.
• She mopped up the mess left by the failed project.
• Who will mop up after their argument?

Similar words: sort out, fix, put right

Common phrases: mop up problems, mop up the mess

To use, buy, or remove something that is left over or exists in too large an amount.

• The sale mopped up our excess stock.
• Banks bought bonds to mop up surplus cash.
• Extra demand should mop up the remaining supply.

Similar words: absorb, use up

Common phrases: mop up excess, mop up surplus funds

To complete the last small tasks or parts of something.

• We just need to mop up the last few tasks.
• She mopped up the remaining details before sending the report.
• Can you mop up these little jobs today?

Similar words: finish off, complete

Common phrases: mop up remaining tasks, mop up the details