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Origin and history of slop

slop(n.1)

c. 1400, "mudhole, puddle," probably from Old English -sloppe "dung" (in plant name cusloppe, literally "cow dung"), related to slyppe "slime" (from PIE root *sleubh- "to slide, slip").

The meaning "semi-liquid food" is by 1650s; that of "refuse liquid of any kind, household liquid waste" (usually slops) is from 1815. The meaning "affected or sentimental material" is by 1866.

also from c. 1400

slop(v.)

"to spill carelessly" (transitive), 1550s, from slop (n.1). The intransitive sense of "be spilled or overflow" is from 1746. Related: Slopped; slopping.

also from 1550s

slop(n.2)

late 14c., "loose outer garment" (early 14c. in a surname, sclopmongere), of obscure etymology, perhaps from Old English oferslop "surplice," which seems to be related to Middle Dutch slop, Old Norse sloppr (either of which also might be the source of the Middle English word), perhaps all from Proto-Germanic *slup-, from PIE root *sleubh- "to slide, slip" on the notion of a garment one "slips" on or into (compare sleeve).

The sense was extended generally to "clothing, ready-made clothing" (1660s), usually in plural slops, also a nickname for a tailor. Hence, also, slop-shop "shop where ready-made clothes are sold" (1723).

also from late 14c.

Entries linking to slop

sleeve(n.)

Middle English sleve, from Old English sliefe (West Saxon), slefe (Mercian) "arm-covering part of a garment," probably literally "that into which the arm slips," from Proto-Germanic *slaubjon (source also of Middle Low German sloven "to dress carelessly," Old High German sloufen "to put on or off"), from PIE root *sleubh- "to slide, slip."

It is related etymologically to Old English slefan, sliefan "to slip on (clothes)" and slupan "to slip, glide." Also for the sense, compare slipper, Old English slefescoh "slipper," slip (n.2) "woman's garment," and expression slip into "dress in."

The mechanical sense of "tube in which a rod or another tube is inserted" is by 1864. The meaning "the English Channel" translates French La Manche, literally "the sleeve" (from Old French manche "a sleeve," also "a handle," from Latin manicae "long sleeves of a tunic;" see manacle (n.)).

The figurative expression have something up (or in) one's sleeve, "have ready as occasion demands," is recorded from c. 1500 (the long, pendant sleeves of the late Middle Ages also sometimes doubled as pockets); to have a card (or ace) up one's sleeve in the figurative sense of "have a hidden resource" is from 1863; the cheat itself is mentioned by 1840s. To wear one's heart on (one's) sleeve is from "Othello" (1604). For laugh in one's sleeve see laugh (v.).

ratatouille(n.)

1839, originally an odds-and-ends stew, often associated with the French military; from French ratatouille (1770s) which was apparently a disparaging term for bad food. In French it was used approximately the same as English slop. The first element is of uncertain etymology, the second is evidently touiller "to stir up," which Ayto writes was "applied, often disparagingly, to any stew," and which Gamillscheg writes is ultimately from Latin tudes "hammer." The sense appears to have developed from indicating mashed food to any foods that were simply unattractive.

The modern form of the dish, a kind of vegetable casserole, is a 20c. creation said to have originated in Nice.

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Trends of slop

adapted from books.google.com/ngrams/ with a 7-year moving average; ngrams are probably unreliable.

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sloppy

1727, "muddy, wet from slopping," from slop (n.1) + -y (2). By 1794 as "of a semi-liquid consistency." The meaning "loose, ill-fitting, slovenly" is recorded from 1825, influenced by slop (n.2). Related: Sloppily; sloppiness. Sloppy Joe was originally "loose-fitting sweater worn

splash

1715 (intransitive), "dabble about in water or some other liquid;" 1722 (transitive), "spatter," probably an alteration of plash with an intensive s-. Related: Splashed; splashing. Splash-board, to protect the occupants of a vehicle from splashing of the horse's feet, is attested

treacle

mid-14c., "medicinal compound, antidote for poison," from Old French triacle "antidote, cure for snake-bite" (c. 1200), from Vulgar Latin *triacula, from Latin theriaca, from Greek thēriakē (antidotos) "antidote for poisonous wild animals," from fem. of thēriakos "of a wild anima

spill

Middle English spillen, from Old English spillan "destroy; destroy the life of, mutilate, kill," especially in a brutal way, also in late Old English "to waste;" a variant of spildan "destroy," from Proto-Germanic *spilthjan (source also of Old High German spildan "to spill," Old

eland

Cape elk, large South African antelope, 1786, from Dutch eland "elk," probably from a Baltic source akin to Lithuanian elnias "deer," from PIE *el- (2) "red, brown" (see elk), cognate with first element in Greek Elaphebolion, name of the ninth month of the Attic year (correspondi

provender

c. 1300, provendre, "allowance paid each chapter member of a cathedral," from Anglo-French provendir, Old French provendier "provider; recipient, beneficiary," from Gallo-Roman *provenda, altered (by influence of Latin providere "supply") from Late Latin praebenda "allowance, sub

clay

Old English clæg "stiff, sticky earth; clay," from Proto-Germanic *klaijaz (source also of Old High German kliwa "bran," German Kleie, Old Frisian klai, Old Saxon klei, Middle Dutch clei, Danish klæg "clay;" also Old English clæman, Old Norse kleima, Old High German kleiman "to c

move

late 13c., meven, in various senses (see below), from Anglo-French mover, Old French movoir "to move, get moving, set out; set in motion; introduce" (Modern French mouvoir), from Latin movere "move, set in motion; remove; disturb" (past participle motus, frequentative motare), fr

pad

1550s, "bundle of straw to lie on," a word of obscure origin (perhaps a merger of several separate words), possibly from or related to Low German or obsolete Flemish pad "sole of the foot," which is perhaps from PIE *pent- "to tread, go" (see find (v.)), but see path (n.). Sense

dap

fist-bump greeting, in African-American popular culture by 1972, with various theories as to origin and name meaning. Probably imitative (dap was used in 19c. for the bounce of a ball or the skip of a stone on water). Dap, meanwhile, is listed in the DAS as African-American verna

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