Definition

1. Noun:

   • A cleansing agent: A substance used for washing, cleaning, or personal hygiene, typically made by treating fats or oils with an alkali.
   • A bribe: (Slang) Money or favors offered corruptly to influence someone's actions.
   • Gamma hydroxybutyrate (GHB): (Slang) A street name for the depressant and recreational drug GHB.

2. Verb:

   • To wash or lather with soap: To apply soap to something, typically for the purpose of cleaning.

Usage and Examples

• Noun (Cleansing Agent):
  • Please pass the bar of soap.
  • Liquid soap is often used in dispensers.
• Noun (Bribe - Slang):
  • He was accused of offering soap to the official.
• Noun (Drug - Slang):
  • The police warned about the dangers of "soap".
• Verb:
  • You should soap your hands thoroughly for at least 20 seconds.
  • She soaped the car before rinsing it.

Advanced Usage and Nuances

• "No soap": (Idiomatic, informal) Indicates failure, rejection, or that something did not work.
  • I tried to get a refund, but it was no soap.
• "Soft soap": (Noun, informal) Flattery intended to persuade or manipulate someone.
  • He used a lot of soft soap to get the promotion.
• "To soft-soap": (Verb, informal) To flatter or coax someone.
  • Don't try to soft-soap me; just tell me the truth.

Variants and Related Words

• Soapy (adjective): Resembling, containing, or covered with soap; slippery or frothy.
  • The water was soapy after washing the dishes.
• Soapbox (noun): A makeshift platform for public speaking. (Note: This is a compound word listed here as a variant, not as a direct meaning of "soap").
  • He got on his soapbox to complain about the new policy.
• Soap opera (noun): A television or radio drama series dealing with daily life and events. (Note: This is a compound word listed here as a variant).
  • My grandmother watches her favorite soap opera every afternoon.

Synonyms

• Cleanser (noun): For the cleansing agent meaning.
• Lather (noun/verb): For the frothy substance or the act of applying soap.
• Bribe (noun): For the slang meaning related to corruption.
• Flattery (noun): For the meaning related to "soft soap."

Phrasal Verbs / Common Combinations

• Soap up: To cover or lather with soap.
  • Soap up the sponge before scrubbing the pot.

Related Idioms

• To be/feel like a bar of soap: To be very slippery and difficult to hold.
  • The wet fish felt like a bar of soap.
• Soap and water: Used to refer to the basic method of washing or cleaning.
  • Sometimes, all a stain needs is a bit of soap and water.

Noun

1. street names for gamma hydroxybutyrate
2. money offered as a bribe
3. a cleansing agent made from the salts of vegetable or animal fats

Verb

1. rub soap all over, usually with the purpose of cleaning