mop up the floor with

Idioms & Phrases

mop up the floor with

Also, wipe the floor with. Defeat thoroughly, overwhelm, as in The young boxer said he was sure to mop up the floor with his opponent, or I just know we'll wipe the floor with the competition. [Late 1800s]

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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