▪ I. sope Obs. exc. north. dial.
(səʊp)
Forms: 1 sopa, 3– sope, 6–7 soape, 8 swoap, 9 swope.
[OE. sopa (f. weak grade of s{uacu}pan 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 tr. 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 A. Behn Dutch Lover iii. ii, But come, t'other turn, and t'other sope, and then for Donna Euphemia. 1684 Yorks. Dial. 630 (E.D.S.), 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. |
▪ II. sope
obs. var. soap n.; var. sowp v. Obs.