Sop
In Southern and Appalachian speech, "sop" means to soak up liquid - especially gravy, syrup, or pot likker - with bread, biscuits, or another food. It also extends to soaking up any liquid, like "sop up a spill" with a towel.
Hillbilly Dude Says...
"Get you a biscuit and sop up that gravy before it’s gone." Hillbilly Dude Says...
"Get you a biscuit and sop up that gravy before it’s gone." Pronunciation
[SAHP] /sɒp/
Meaning & Usage
- To soak up liquid with bread or food (verb)
Mae:
Don’t waste that redeye gravy.
Don’t waste that redeye gravy.
Earl:
I’ll sop it up with my biscuit.
I’ll sop it up with my biscuit.- To soak up any liquid (nonfood) (verb)
Mae:
Spilled sweet tea!
Spilled sweet tea!
Earl:
Grab a towel and sop it up.
Grab a towel and sop it up.- A piece of bread or biscuit used to soak liquid; the liquid itself (noun)
Mae:
We had ham and gravy with a sop of biscuit.
We had ham and gravy with a sop of biscuit.variations: soak up, dab up, mop up, bread dunk, pot likker sop
★ "Sop" has deep roots in Southern/Appalachian food culture - biscuits and gravy, pot likker, sorghum syrup. It’s both the action ("to sop up") and sometimes the thing you use ("a sop of biscuit"). ★
Origin and Etymology
From Old English "sopp" meaning bread soaked in liquid. Recorded in regional word lists and Appalachian foodways as a staple verb and noun for soaking up liquids, especially at the table.
Usage Notes
Still everyday in Southern/Appalachian speech. Outside the region "sop" is understood but sounds quaint, except in "sopping wet."
Say It Like a Southerner
Say it natural: often "soppin’" as the gerund ("soppin’ up that gravy"). "Sop" rhymes with "pop."