soap: [OE] The word soap is of West Germanic origin. It comes from a prehistoric *saipō (source also of German seife and Dutch zeep). This may have been related to Old English sīpian ‘drip’, suggesting that it perhaps originally referred to a stage in the manufacture of soap. The Romans, like the Greeks, used oil for cleansing the skin, not soap, and so they did not have their own native word for it. Instead they borrowed the Germanic term, as sāpō, which has evolved into French savon, Italian sapone, and Spanish jabon. Germanic *saipō was also acquired by Latvian (ziepes), Finnish (saippio), and Lappish (saipo).
soap (n.)
Old English sape "soap, salve" (originally a reddish hair dye used by Germanic warriors to give a frightening appearance), from Proto-Germanic *saipon "dripping thing, resin" (cognates: Middle Low German sepe, West Frisian sjippe, Dutch zeep, Old High German seiffa, German seife "soap," Old High German seifar "foam," Old English sipian "to drip"), from PIE *soi-bon-, from root *seib- "to pour out, drip, trickle" (cognates: Latin sebum "tallow, suet, grease").
Romans and Greeks used oil to clean skin; the Romance language words for "soap" (cognates: Italian sapone, French savon, Spanish jabon) are from Late Latin sapo "pomade for coloring the hair" (first mentioned in Pliny), which is a Germanic loan-word, as is Finnish saippua. The meaning "flattery" is recorded from 1853.
soap (v.)
1580s, from soap (n.). Related: Soaped; soaping.
双语例句
1. With soap and water, bubbles and boats, children love bathtime.
有了肥皂、水、泡泡和小船，孩子们都喜欢洗澡。
来自柯林斯例句
2. A small colour television was tuned to an afternoon soap opera.
一台小彩色电视机频道调在了一出下午的肥皂剧上。
来自柯林斯例句
3. Wash the feet, underarms and body surface using a soap.
用肥皂洗洗脚、腋下及全身。
来自柯林斯例句
4. Wash your face thoroughly with a mild soap and warm water.
