a substance used for washing and cleansing purposes, usually made by treating a fat with an alkali, as sodium or potassium hydroxide, and consisting chiefly of the sodium or potassium salts of the acids contained in the fat.
any metallic salt of an acid derived from a fat.
Informal Terms[Slang.]money, esp. as used for bribery in politics.
Radio and Television, Informal Terms, Show Business[Slang.]Also, soaper. See soap opera.
no soap, [Informal.]no go:He wanted me to vote for him, but I told him no soap.
v.t.
to rub, cover, lather, or treat with soap.
WGmc (perh. Latin sāpō; compare saponify)
Middle English sope, Old English sāpe, cognate with German Seife, Dutch zeep, all bef. 1000
a cleaning or emulsifying agent made by reacting animal or vegetable fats or oils with potassium or sodium hydroxide. Soaps often contain colouring matter and perfume and act by emulsifying grease and lowering the surface tension of water, so that it more readily penetrates open materials such as textiles See alsodetergent
any metallic salt of a fatty acid, such as palmitic or stearic acid See alsometallic soap
flattery or persuasive talk (esp in the phrase soft soap)