clap
Language: English
Part of speech: verb
Pronunciation: ipa: /klæp/
rhymes: -æp
Forms: form: claps
form: clapping
form: clapped
form: clapped
form: clapt
form: clapt
Etymology: From Middle English clappen, from Old English clæppan, from Proto-Germanic *klappōną. Cognate with Dutch klappen, Icelandic klappa, Faroese klappa and Danish klappe.
Senses: examples: text: The children began to clap in time with the music.
glosses: To strike the palms of the hands together, creating a sharp sound.
examples: text: The audience loudly clapped the actress, who responded with a deep curtsey.
text: It isn’t the singers they are clapping; it's the composer.
glosses: To applaud.
examples: text: He would often clap his teammates on the back for encouragement.
glosses: To slap with the hand in a jovial manner.
examples: text: He clapped the empty glass down on the table.
text: She clapped the book shut.
text: He clapped across the floor in his boots.
text: Then like a bird it sits and sings, / Then whets and claps its silver wings.
ref: 1681, Andrew Marvell, The Garden:
text: […] Pipes, who acted as the enemy's forlorn hope, advanced to the gate with great intrepidity, and clapping his foot to the door, which was none of the ſtouteſt, with the execution and diſpatch of a petard, ſplit it into a thouſand pieces.
ref: 1751, [Tobias] Smollett, “He is Concerned in a Dangerous Adventure with a Certain Gardener; […]”, in The Adventures of Peregrine Pickle […], volume I, London: Harrison and Co., […], →OCLC, page 134:
glosses: To bring two surfaces together forcefully, creating a sharp sound.
examples: text: Hostesse clap to the doores.
ref: c. 1597 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The First Part of Henry the Fourth, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene v]:
text: The doors around me clapped.
ref: 1677 (first performance), John Dryden, All for Love: Or, The World Well Lost. A Tragedy, […], [London]: […] Tho[mas] Newcomb, for Henry Herringman, […], published 1678, →OCLC, (please specify the page number):
text: Her fear gave her strength; she threw Laura away, and clapped to the door.
ref: 1792, Thomas Holcroft, Anna St. Ives, vol. VII, letter 119:
glosses: To slam (a door or window); formerly often construed with to.
examples: text: We should clap together a shelter before nightfall.
text: The rival factions clapped up a truce.
glosses: To create or assemble (something) hastily (usually followed by up or together).
examples: text: The sheriff clapped him in jail.
text: She was the prettiest thing I'd ever clapped eyes on.
text: He had just time to get in and clap to the door.
ref: 1693, [John Locke], “§138”, in Some Thoughts Concerning Education, London: […] A[wnsham] and J[ohn] Churchill, […], →OCLC:
text: Clap an extinguisher upon your irony.
ref: 1823, Elia [pseudonym; Charles Lamb], Elia. Essays which have Appeared under that Signature in The London Magazine, London: […] [Thomas Davison] for Taylor and Hessey, […], →OCLC:
glosses: To set or put, usually in haste.
qualifier: African-American Vernacular
glosses: To shoot (somebody) with a gun.
glosses: To have sex, fornicate, copulate.
examples: text: He started a fight but then got clapped immediately.
glosses: To defeat.
Derived terms: and then everyone clapped
and then everyone on the bus clapped
beclap
clap back
clap cheeks
clap eyes on
clap hold of
clap in
clap-in-clap-out
clap net
clap on
clap out
clapped out
clapper
clapping
clappingly
clap someone's cheeks
clap together
clap up
everyone clapped
stomp clap hey
unclap
Related terms: applaud
applause