Obs. exc. north. dial. Forms: 1 sopa, 3– sope, 6–7 soape, 8 swoap, 9 swope. [OE. sopa (f. weak grade of súpan SUP v.1), = ON. and Icel. sopi (MSw. sopi, Norw. dial. sope), MLG. sope, MDu. sope (zope), soop (Du. zoop), older Flem. sope, seupe (WFlem. zope, zeupe).] A draught; a small amount of drink, etc.; a sup.
c. 1000. Sax. Leechd., II. 134. On wearmum wætre drince betonican tyn sopan.
c. 1275. XI Pains of Hell, 169, in O. E. Misc. Ne moten heo biden neuer o sope.
13[?]. E. E. Allit. P., B. 108. Þyse ilk renkez … Schul neuer sitte in my sale my soper to fele, Ne suppe on sope of my seve.
c. 1400. trans. Secreta Secret., Gov. Lordsh., 71. Drynke cler watir with a sope of vynegre.
c. 1450. St. Cuthbert (Surtees), 3301. He asked, may I drynk a sope?
1547. Boorde, Introd. Knowl., i. (1870), 123. There ale is … smoky and ropye, and neuer a good sope.
1583. Stubbes, Anat. Abus. (1877), 111. We ought neuer to take morsell of bread, nor sope of drinke, without humble thankes to the Lord.
1673. Mrs. Behn, Dutch Lover, III. ii. 44. But come, t’other turn, and t’other sope, and then for Donna Euphemia.
1684. Yorks. Dial., 630 (E.D.S. No. 76), 173. And I sall send you back by her a soape.
1790. Mrs. Wheeler, Westmld. Dial., 17. She gav a conny swoap oa Milk.
1818. Wilbraham, Chesh. Gloss., Sope,… a sup; a sope of rain is a great deal of rain.
1828–. in northern glossaries, etc.
Sope, obs. var. SOAP sb.; var. SOWP v. Obs.
Sopeer, Soper(e, obs. forms of SUPPER.
