Slop
/slɑp/
nounverbB1
Definition
Slop as a noun is usually wet, messy food or liquid that is spilled or left over, often dirty or unpleasant. As a verb, slop means to pour or spill liquid in a careless or messy way, making a mess.
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See It in Action
Noun: Wet, messy food or liquid, often dirty or spilled
- •The pig ate the slop from the trough happily.
- •There was slop all over the kitchen floor after the pot fell.
- •Don’t leave slop on the table; clean it up quickly.
Verb: To spill or pour liquid carelessly, making a mess
- •He slopped the soup out of the bowl while carrying it.
- •Be careful not to slop water on the floor when you fill the glass.
- •She slopped paint on her clothes by accident.
Make It Stick
- ✓Think of "slop" like "spill" (A1 word), but slop is often thicker, wetter, and messier—like soup or mud, not just water
- ✓Picture a bowl of watery food falling and spreading all over a table, making a wet, dirty mess
- ✓It's the feeling when you accidentally drop your drink and it spreads everywhere, making you frustrated
- ✓Sounds like "slop" → imagine a wet, sloppy sound of liquid hitting the floor and spreading out slowly
- ✓Imagine farm animals eating "slop," which is usually leftover or soft food mixed with water, often messy and not neat
- ✓NOT like "spill" (which can be any liquid), "slop" often means thicker or dirty liquid food or waste
- ✓NOT like "clean" or "neat"—slop is always messy and uncontrolled
- ✓As a verb, slop is self-caused by careless action, unlike "pour" which is careful and controlled
Try Other Words
- •Spill: liquid falls out by accident (Use when the liquid is clean or not food-related)
- •Splash: liquid hits a surface causing drops to fly (Use when liquid moves suddenly and makes drops)
- •Mess: dirty or untidy condition (Use when focusing on the dirty or untidy result rather than the liquid itself)
- •Slush: wet, soft mixture of snow and water or soft mud (Use when describing cold, wet, soft mixtures)
Unboxing
- •Word parts: No prefix or suffix; simple root word "slop"
- •Etymology: From Middle English "sloppe," meaning loose or flowing liquid or mud
- •Historical development: Originally used to describe loose, wet material or dirty liquid; later also used as a verb for spilling
- •Modern usage: Commonly used to describe messy wet food or liquids, especially in informal or farm contexts (like animal feed)
Reflect & Connect
•Have you ever made a slop by spilling food or drink? How did you feel about the mess?
•Why do you think "slop" often has a negative or dirty meaning compared to just "spill"?
Fill in the blanks
1.The pig happily ate the ___ that was left in the trough after feeding.
2.She accidentally ___ the soup all over the table while carrying it.
3.Unlike careful pouring, to slop means to pour ___ and make a mess.
4.When there is ___ on the floor, it is important to clean it up quickly to avoid slipping.
5.The kitchen smelled bad because of the old ___ left near the trash.
6.He didn’t want to ___ water on his new shirt, so he was very careful.
7.The word "slop" usually describes ___ liquids, not clear or clean ones.