The word “sop” can have a few different meanings depending on context. Here’s a clear breakdown:
1. Food Context
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Sop is a piece of bread or other starch that is soaked in a liquid like soup, gravy, sauce, or wine.
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Example: “She dipped a sop of bread into the stew.”
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Traditionally, it was a way to soak up flavors or eat liquids before utensils like spoons were common.
2. Figurative / Idiomatic
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Sop can mean a bribe, concession, or small gift given to appease someone.
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Example: “The company offered a bonus as a sop to unhappy employees.”
3. Other Uses
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In some regional or older English usage, “sop” can also refer to:
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Anything soaked or drenched in liquid.
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In literature, it sometimes describes someone soft or weak, like a “soppy” person.
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So, in short:
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Literal/food: bread soaked in liquid.
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Figurative: a small concession to pacify.
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Descriptive: soft, soaked, or sentimental.
If you want, I can give a quick history of “sop” in cooking and how it was used in old recipes—some of them are really interesting!
Do you want me to do that?
