floor cloth

Meanings

1. 1nouncountable

   a cloth used for washing floors or other surfaces.

   Grammar: Countable: 'a floor cloth' or 'floor cloths'. It is often used with 'with': 'clean it with a floor cloth'.

   Patterns

   • with a floor cloth
   • use a floor cloth

   She wiped the kitchen floor with a damp floor cloth.

   Get a clean floor cloth from the cupboard.

   The floor cloths are in the bucket under the sink.

2. 2nouncountableBritish

   a heavy piece of cloth or canvas used as a covering for a floor.

   Grammar: Countable: 'a floor cloth' or 'floor cloths'. This sense is more common in British English.

   Patterns

   • lay a floor cloth
   • cover something with a floor cloth

   They laid a painted floor cloth in the hallway.

   The old floor cloth was worn and needed replacing.

Word forms

Common combinations

damp floor cloth

Use a damp floor cloth to wipe up the spill.

clean with a floor cloth

He cleaned the table with a floor cloth.

painted floor cloth

The painted floor cloth gave the room a traditional look.

Synonyms and how they differ

rag

A rag is a piece of old cloth used for cleaning; a floor cloth is often a specially made cloth for floors.

mop

A mop has a long handle and is used for washing floors; a floor cloth is held in the hand.

Commonly confused: floor cloth or dishcloth?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “floor cloth”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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