# slop out

CEFR C2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/slop-out
Updated: 2026-10-23

## Definition

to empty a bucket of waste, especially human waste, from a prison cell that does not have a toilet.

For teachers: to perform the manual disposal of excrement and urine from a cell; historically associated with penal systems lacking modern plumbing. The verb is typically intransitive in this specific prison context.

## Examples

- The prisoners had to slop out every morning at six.
- Before the prison was modernised, inmates spent hours each day waiting for their turn to slop out.
- The practice of slopping out was eventually condemned as a violation of human rights and phased out in favour of integral sanitation.

## Usage notes

- primarily used in the context of British prison history; it can be used as a noun ('slopping out').
- Teaching tip: this is a culturally specific term for British penal history; use it to discuss social reform or historical living conditions rather than everyday modern life.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.