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Glite Dictionary
🏠 A small porch 🤸 To bend forward ⬇️ To lower oneself 🧓 A bent posture 🦅 To dive (bird) 💧 A holy water basin
stoop

stoop

9.6
A bowl of holy water at a church entrance for people to touch
  • noun
  • /stuːp/
  • Archaic
translation icon : pila de agua bendita
  • The old cathedral still has its original stoop near the doorway for worshippers to use.

Examples

  • The marble stoop was ornately carved and filled with fresh holy water.

  • She dipped her fingers into the stoop and made the sign of the cross.

  • The church had a beautiful stoop filled with holy water.

  • Many people dipped their fingers in the stoop as they entered.

  • During the baptism ceremony, the priest dipped his fingers into the stoop to bless the congregation.

  • Visitors are expected to dip their fingers into the stoop before entering the church.

  • The church's stoop was elegantly decorated with flowers for the special occasion.

Synonyms

stoup
vsstoop
  • UK
9.9

A bowl at a church entrance holding holy water for dipping fingers

is used for ritual holy water without stressing the dipping action
aspersorium
vsstoop
  • Specialized
9.9

A basin that holds holy water in a church

refers broadly to a church entrance basin rather than any vessel type

Idioms

no poop on the stoop
  • Informal
9.9

A sign asking dog owners not to let their dogs poop on the front steps

Compounds

poop stoop
  • NSFW
9.4

An area where people pick up dog poop

Surface Forms

stoop singular
stoops plural

Etymology

Stoop (the church basin) comes from an old word like stoup meaning a small 'cup' or 'bowl', so this stoop is the little bowl of holy water by the door.