Sop

A morsel of bread (John 13:26; comp. Ruth 2:14). Our Lord took a piece of unleavened bread, and dipping it into the broth of bitter herbs at the Paschal meal, gave it to Judas. (Comp. Ruth 2:14.)

In eastern lands where our table utensils are unknown, the meat, with the broth, is brought upon the table in a large dish, and is eaten usually by means of pieces of bread clipped into the common dish. The bread so dipped is called. “It was such a piece of bread a sop dipped in broth that Jesus gave to Judas, (John 13:26) and again, in Matt 26:23 It is said “he that dippeth his hand with me in the dish,” i.e. to make a sop by dipping a piece of bread into the central dish.

SOP. John 13:26. Our ordinary table-utensils were unknown among the Hebrews. Hence, in eating broth or milk, it was either taken with the hollow of the hand or the bread was dipped into it. This is at present the usage in all the Oriental countries - even at the table of the Persian king. Thus the reapers of Boaz dipped their "morsel in the vinegar," Ruth 2:14, and thus our Saviour "dipped the sop," or morsel, and gave it to the traitor Judas.

SOP. John 13:26. Our ordinary table-utensils were unknown among the Hebrews. Hence, in eating broth or milk, it was either taken with the hollow of the hand or the bread was dipped into it. This is at present the usage in all the Oriental countries - even at the table of the Persian king. Thus the reapers of Boaz dipped their "morsel in the vinegar," Ruth 2:14, and thus our Saviour "dipped the sop," or morsel, and gave it to the traitor Judas.

Part of speech: noun (n.)

1. Anything steeped, or dipped and softened, in any liquid; especially, something dipped in broth or liquid food, and intended to be eaten. He it is to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. John xiii. 26. Sops in wine, quantity, inebriate more than wine itself. Bacon. The bounded waters Should lift their bosoms higher than the shores, And make a sop of all this solid globe. Shak.

2. Anything given to pacify; -- so called from the sop given to Cerberus, as related in mythology. All nature is cured with a sop. L'Estrange.

3. A thing of little or no value. [Obs.] P. Plowman. Sops in wine (Bot.), an old name of the clove pink, alluding to its having been used to flavor wine. Garlands of roses and sops in wine. Spenser. -- Sops of wine (Bot.), an old European variety of apple, of a yellow and red color, shading to deep red; -- called also sopsavine, and red shropsavine.

Part of speech: verb (v.)

To steep or dip in any liquid.