[soap] n [ME sope, fr. OE sape; akin to OHG seifa soap] (bef. 12c) 1 a: a cleansing and emulsifying agent made usu. by action of alkali on fat or fatty acids and consisting essentially of sodium or potassium salts of such acids b: a salt of a fatty acid and a metal
2: soap opera
[2]soap vt (1585) 1: to rub soap over or into
2: flatter