soap opera see under soap

soap /sōp/

1. An alkaline salt of a higher fatty acid
2. Esp such a compound of sodium (hard soap) or potassium (soft soap) which reacts with water to produce a lather that acts as a cleaning agent in washing
3. Smooth words, flattery (obs sl; cf soft soap)
4. Money, esp used for bribery and other secret political purposes (US sl)
5. Girls or women collectively, esp as sex objects (slang)
6. A soap opera

1. To rub with soap
2. To flatter

soapˈer noun (N American)

A soap opera

soapˈie noun (Aust)

A soap opera

soapˈily adverb

soapˈiness noun

soapˈland noun (slang)

A red-light district (also adjective)

soapˈless adjective

soapˈy adjective

soapˈ-ball noun

Soap made into a ball, often with starch, as an emollient

soapˈbark noun

A S American rosaceous tree (Quillaja saponaria), or its bark, used as a substitute for soap

soapˈberry noun

The fruit of Sapindus saponaria, a S American tree, or related species, used as a substitute for soap

soap boiler noun

A manufacturer of soap

soap boiling noun

soapˈbox noun

1. A box for packing soap
2. Such a box used as an improvised platform by a speaker or campaigning politician in the street, etc

soap bubble noun

A globe of air enclosed in a film of soapsuds

soap dish noun

soap flakes plural noun

soap opera noun

1. A sentimental, melodramatic radio or television serial concerned with the day-to-day lives of the members of a family or other small group (also figurative; orig American and often sponsored by soap manufacturers)
2. Broadcast drama of this sort

soap powder noun

soapˈroot noun

Any of certain species of Gypsophila, Saponaria, and other plants whose roots can be used as a substitute for soap

soapˈstone noun

A popular name for steatite, or French chalk, a compact kind of talc with a greasy or soapy feel

soapˈsuds plural noun

Soapy water, esp when frothy

soap test noun

A test for determining hardness of water by amount of standard soap solution required to make a lather

soap tree noun

The soapbark tree, the soapberry tree, or other yielding saponin

soapˈ-works noun

A factory manufacturing soap

soapˈwort noun

A tall herb (Saponaria officinalis, or other species) of the pink family, whose roots and leaves contain saponin