sop

a sop to Cerberus

A bribe. Taken from the ancient Greek and Roman custom of leaving gifts with corpses so that Cerberus (guardian of the gates of hell) would pass them by. What is this money, a sop to Cerberus so that I won't tell the authorities what you've done?
See also: sop

milksop

1. adjective Extremely weak, timid, or ineffectual. We're going to be the laughingstock of the world after such a milksop response from our government. We can't afford some milksop plan that just keeps the status quo—we need something drastic and daring that might really improve our sales. In the play, the hero returns to drive the milksop suitor from his home and reclaim his rightful place by his wife's side.
2. noun An extremely weak, timid, or ineffectual man. We need a president who's going to lead the nation with strength and resolve, not some milksop who'll just kowtow to every foreign leader who raises his voice. I swear, I don't know why I ever married a milksop like you. You can't even defend your own wife when she's been insulted!

sop up

To absorb some liquid through dipping, wiping, or drenching. A noun or pronoun can be used between "sop" and "up." As rainwater poured into the basement, we grabbed every towel and sheet we could find to sop it all up. I love using my toast to sop up the runny yolk from my fried eggs.
See also: sop, up
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

sop something up

to mop or soak up a liquid. Use this rag to sop the spilled milk up. The rag will sop up the mess a little at a time.
See also: sop, up
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.

a sop to Cerberus

something offered to appease someone.
In Greek mythology, Cerberus was the three-headed watchdog which guarded the entrance of Hades. In the Aeneid Virgil describes how the Sibyl guiding Aeneas to the underworld threw a drugged cake to Cerberus, thus enabling the hero to pass the monster in safety.
See also: sop
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

sop up

v.
To take something up by absorption; absorb something: We sopped up the water with paper towels. I sopped the sauce up with a piece of bread.
See also: sop, up
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.

sop

1. n. a drunkard; an alcoholic. Give the old sop a buck and tell him to beat it.
2. tv. & in. to guzzle (liquor). You’ve sopped booze long enough. Go home.
McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions
See also:
  • a sop to Cerberus
  • off the shelf
  • off-the-shelf
  • found money
  • drugola
  • get (something) off the shelf
  • Eve's custom house
  • grease payment
  • payment
  • custom
References in periodicals archive
The CDA management has directed all the directorates to ensure implementation of the SOP in true letter and spirit.
New SOP introduced to ensure hassle-free property transfers
In my Camp Gilmont SOPs, I also included our camp policies and forms regarding the implementation of food allergies, so our kitchen staff could see precisely what the camp communicated to prospective campers and guests.
The Importance of Standard Operating Procedures
To the extent that these regulations apply to the PLD, step-by-step how-to instructions and detailed explanations must be identified in the SOPs to implement the cGMP requirement.
Current good manufacturing practices & the private-label distributor: PLDs are responsible for products introduced into interstate commerce and must ensure compliance with all federal requirements and regulations
Since its inception in 2007, the SOP has seen thousands of students participate in 12 sports that include tennis, shooting, athletics and many others.
Schools Olympic Program athlete dreams of going pro
Five minutes after irradiation with 180 mJ/[cm.sup.2] UVB, SOP cream (provided by Infinitus Ltd., China) at 3 different concentrations (2.5,5.0, and 10.0 IU/mL) was topically applied on the selected areas.
Protective Effects of Soy Oligopeptides in Ultraviolet B-Induced Acute Photodamage of Human Skin
Review the battalion tactical SOP. Appoint a junior officer and noncommissioned officer to update, publish, and distribute a company SOP using the battalion tactical SOP as a guide.
Four keys to forward support company success at JRTC: forward support companies should consider these training and procedure recommendations to prepare for a Joint Readiness Training Center rotation
If your unit needs help with SOPs and you have a local COMET team, you're in luck.
Carson COMET offers help
PTA after issuing a show cause notice and hearing PTCL's viewpoint, has directed the company to make necessary arrangements for meeting the requirements for new WLL sales as mentioned in the PTA's Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for Wireless Local Loop Subscribers', which require Documentation and Activation of Connections after Verification from NADRA.
PTA directs PTCL to disconnect unregistered WLL connections Regulator asks PTCL to follow SOP for new sales
- Risk Based approach on SOP Best Practices for creation and maintenance.
Live Webinar on SOP and FDA Compliance by Compliance2go
Through mid-July, shareholders returned negative SOP votes at only 37 companies (less than 1.5 percent of those holding SOP votes), mostly due to the level of executive pay relative to shareholder returns.
The votes are in on 'say on pay' in 2011
Firstly, the SOP model contends that real things have an intrinsic multi-faceted arrangement (attributes, parts and whole).
The SOP model of change as a new way of looking at causality
The second SOP to have in place is the one for Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC).
IT focus: Computer System Validation: prepare your systems for FDA inspection
While IDEA 2004 made several important changes to the transition planning requirements, it also added a new requirement for schools when terminating special education services, called a Summary of Performance (SOP).
Summary of performance: a new tool for successful transitions
SOP 05-1, Accounting by Insurance Enterprises for Deferred Acquisition costs in Connection with Modifications or Exchanges of Insurance Contracts, was ad opted by the FASB on Jan.
Companies start to feel toll of new FASB rule on DAC
At this point in the risk management process, the risk manager is ready to create the risk management standard operating procedures (SOP) manual.
Creating a standard operating procedures manual