Also 7 sope, 9 Sc. saip, saep. [f. SOAP sb. Cf. WFris. sjipje, Du. zeepen, G. seifen, Da. sæbe, Sw. såpa.]
1. trans. To rub, smear, lather, or treat in some special way with soap. Also with up.
1585. T. Washington, trans. Nicholay’s Voy., II. xxi. 58 b. After that hee hath well soaped and rubbed your bodie … wyth a purse of Stammin,… he washeth you with very cleare water.
1611. Cotgr., Savonné, soped, or washed in sope.
1677. Compl. Servant-Maid, 65. If there be any dirty places soap them a little, then take a little hard brush and soap it well [etc.].
1725. Fam. Dict., s.v. Clear-Starching, Take your Lace and roll it…, and between every Roll soap it with Soap.
1771. Mrs. Haywood, New Present for Maid, 265. They [cambrics, etc.] should be … well soaped. Ibid. Linen soaped as above … will be freed of all stains.
1802. Colman, Poor Gent., I. i. Answer me,… Who have [= has] soap’d up and flower’d your numskull after such a fashion?
1860. Rawlinson, Herodotus, IX. cx. IV. 473. This is the only day in all the year on which the king soaps his head.
1875. F. J. Bird, Dyer’s Hand-bk., 50. The pieces … are finally washed and soaped.
Comb. 1848. Dickens, Dombey, xxxi. By-the-bye, she’ll soap-and-water that ’ere tablet presently.
1883. Pall Mall Gaz., 27 Oct., 2/1. So soap-and-watering the infant Gargantua as to fit him for a Sunday school.
2. slang. To address with smooth or flattering words; to flatter.
1853. ‘C. Bede,’ Verdant Green, I. x. The tailor and robe-maker … visibly ‘soaped’ our hero in what is understood to be the shop-sense of the word.
1865. Dickens, Dr. Marigold, i. These Dear Jacks soap the people shameful, but we Cheap Jacks don’t.
b. With over: (see quot.).
1857. Slang Dict., 19. Soaped him over, humbugged him.
Soap, dial. form of SWOP v.
