Soap

• POS: Noun, Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Soap, n. [OE. sope, AS. sāpe; akin to D. zeep, G. seife, OHG. seifa, Icel. sāpa, Sw. spa, Dan. sbe, and perhaps to AS. sīpan to drip, MHG. sīfen, and L. sebum tallow. Cf. Saponaceous.].

 A substance which dissolves in water, thus forming a lather, and is used as a cleansing agent. Soap is produced by combining fats or oils with alkalies or alkaline earths, usually by boiling, and consists of salts of sodium, potassium, etc., with the fatty acids (oleic, stearic, palmitic, etc.). See the Note below, and cf. Saponification. By extension, any compound of similar composition or properties, whether used as a cleaning agent or not.  [1913 Webster]
" In general, soaps are of two classes, hard and soft. Calcium, magnesium, lead, etc., form soaps, but they are insoluble and useless."  [1913 Webster]
"The purifying action of soap depends upon the fact that it is decomposed by a large quantity of water into free alkali and an insoluble acid salt. The first of these takes away the fatty dirt on washing, and the latter forms the soap lather which envelops the greasy matter and thus tends to remove it."  [1913 Webster]
"This soap bubble of the metaphysicians."  [1913 Webster]

Soap, v. t. 

•  To rub or wash over with soap.  [1913 Webster]
•  To flatter; to wheedle.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Soap, n. & v.
--n.
1 a cleansing agent that is a compound of fatty acid with soda or potash or (insoluble soap) with another metallic oxide, of which the soluble kinds when rubbed in water yield a lather used in washing.
2 colloq. = soap opera.
--v.tr.
1 apply soap to.
2 scrub or rub with soap.

Idiom

soap flakes soap in the form of thin flakes, for washing clothes etc. soap opera a broadcast drama, usu. serialized in many episodes, dealing with sentimental domestic themes (so called because orig. sponsored in the US by soap manufacturers). soap powder powdered soap esp. with additives.

Derivative

soapless adj. soaplike adj.

Etymology

OE sape f. WG

THESAURUS

Soap

Grand Guignol, Passion play, Tom show, abstergent, adulation, amole, antimasque, audience success, ballet, baptize, bar soap, bath, bath soap, bathe, blandishment, blarney, bomb, broadcast drama, brown soap, bunkum, burlesque show, butter, butter up, cajolement, cajolery, cathartic, charade, cleaner, cleaning agent, cleaning solvent, cleanser, cleansing cream, cliff hanger, closet drama, cold cream, comedy drama, compliment, cream, critical success, daytime serial, dentifrice, depurant, detergent, dialogue, diuretic, documentary drama, douche, drama, dramalogue, dramatic play, dramatic series, duodrama, duologue, emetic, enema, epic theater, experimental theater, extravaganza, eyewash, failure, fair words, fawning, flattery, flop, flush, flush out, gargle, gasser, get around, giveaway, grease, happening, hit, hit show, holystone, honey, honeyed phrases, honeyed words, improvisational drama, incense, irrigate, jolly, kid along, lather, launder, lave, lay it on, legitimate drama, lotion, masque, melodrama, minstrel show, miracle, miracle play, monodrama, monologue, mop, mop up, morality, morality play, mouthwash, music drama, musical revue, mystery, mystery play, nauseant, oil, opera, overdo it, pageant, palaver, panel show, pantomime, pastoral, pastoral drama, piece, play, play up to, playlet, powdered soap, praise, pretty lies, problem play, psychodrama, pumice stone, purgative, purge, purifier, quiz show, radio drama, review, revue, rinse, rinse out, ritually immerse, scour, scrub, scrub up, sensational play, serial, shampoo, show, shower, sitcom, situation comedy, sketch, skit, sluice, sluice out, soap opera, sociodrama, soft soap, soft-soap, soften up, solvent, spectacle, sponge, stage play, stage show, straight drama, string along, stroke, success, suspense drama, swab, sweet nothings, sweet talk, sweet words, sycophancy, synthetic detergent, syringe, tableau, tableau vivant, talk show, teleplay, television drama, television play, theater of cruelty, toivel, tooth powder, toothpaste, total theater, tub, variety show, vaudeville, vaudeville show, vehicle, wash, wash out, wash up, wheedling, word-of-mouth success, work

ROGET THESAURUS

Soap

Lubrication

VB lubricate, lubricitate, oil, grease, lather, soap, wax.

Oil

N oil, fat, butter, cream, grease, tallow, suet, lard, dripping exunge, blubber, glycerin, stearin, elaine, oleagine, soap, soft soap, wax, cerement, paraffin, spermaceti, adipocere, petroleum, mineral, mineral rock, mineral crystal, mineral oil, vegetable oil, colza oil, olive oil, salad oil, linseed oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, nut oil, animal oil, neat's foot oil, train oil, ointment, unguent, liniment, aceite, amole, Barbados tar, fusel oil, grain oil, rape oil, seneca oil, hydrate of amyl, ghee, heating oil, #2 oil, No, 2 oil, distillate, residual oils, kerosene, jet fuel, gasoline, naphtha, stearin.