soap

UK: /ˈsəʊp/ US: /soʊp/ ,(sōp)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

soap /soʊp/   n. 

1. a substance used for washing, made by treating a fat with an alkali:
   [uncountable] a new bar of soap.
2. Radio and Television, Informal Terms, Show Business [countable] [Informal.] Also, soaper. soap opera.

v. [~ + object]

3. to rub, lather, or treat with soap:
   He soaped his arms and legs and then rinsed off.

Idioms

4. Idioms no soap, [uncountable] [Informal.] (used to show that a proposal, plan, etc., is not acceptable):
   "We want a raise and a promotion.''—"No soap.''

soap•i•ness, n. [uncountable]
soap•y, adj., -i•er, -i•est. 

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

soap  (sōp), n. 

1. 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.
2. any metallic salt of an acid derived from a fat.
3. Informal Terms [Slang.] money, esp. as used for bribery in politics.
4. Radio and Television, Informal Terms, Show Business [Slang.] Also, soaper. See soap opera. 
5. no soap, [Informal.] no go:
   He wanted me to vote for him, but I told him no soap.

v.t. 

6. 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

soap′less, adj. 
soap′like′, adj. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

soap / səʊp/ noun

1. 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 also detergent
2. any metallic salt of a fatty acid, such as palmitic or stearic acid
   See also metallic soap
3. flattery or persuasive talk (esp in the phrase soft soap)
4. 
   short for soap opera
5. no soap ⇒ not possible or successful

verb

1. (transitive) to apply soap to
2. (transitive) often followed by up: to flatter or talk persuasively to

Etymology: Old English sāpe; related to Old High German seipfa, Old French savon, Latin sāpō

ˈsoapless adjective

ˈsoapˌlike adjective