/ səʊp; NAmE soʊp/ noun , verb
■ noun
1.
[ U , C ] a substance that you use with water for washing your body :
soap and water
a bar / piece of soap
soap bubbles
2.
[ C ] ( informal ) = soap opera :
soaps on TV
She's a US soap star.
■ verb
[ vn ] to rub yourself/sb/sth with soap
—see also soft-soap
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WORD ORIGIN
Old English sāpe , of West Germanic origin; related to Dutch zeep and German Seife . The verb dates from the mid 16th cent.