What is "slop bowl"

Slop \Slop\, n. [OE. sloppe a pool; akin to As. sloppe, slyppe, the sloppy droppings of a cow; cf. AS. sl?pan to slip, and E. slip, v.i. Cf. Cowslip.]

1. Water or other liquid carelessly spilled or thrown aboyt, as upon a table or a floor; a puddle; a soiled spot.

2. Mean and weak drink or liquid food; -- usually in the plural.

3. pl. Dirty water; water in which anything has been washed or rinsed; water from wash-bowls, etc.

   Slop basin, or Slop bowl, a basin or bowl for holding slops, especially for receiving the rinsings of tea or coffee cups at the table.

   Slop molding (Brickmaking), a process of manufacture in which the brick is carried to the drying ground in a wet mold instead of on a pallet.

n. (context idiomatic English) One of the four components of the traditional tea set. Tea drinkers emptied their unwanted, cold tea into the slop bowl before refilling their cups with fresh, hot tea.

n. a bowl into which the dregs of teacups and coffee cups are emptied at table [syn: slop basin]

A slop bowl is one of the components of the traditional tea set.

In modern times, the slop bowl is used to hold the discarded hot water that was used to warm the teapot.

Earlier uses may have included emptying undrunk cold tea into the slop bowl before refilling the cup with fresh, hot tea. Often the slop bowl was used to empty the dregs of the tea cup before refilling with hot tea, because there were often tea leaves left behind in the bottom of the cup.