belly flop


noun Northern and North Midland U.S.

an awkward, usually unintentional dive in which the front of the body strikes the water horizontally, the abdomen or chest bearing the brunt of the impact.
a maneuver with a sled in which the sledder runs with the sled to gain momentum and jumps forward to land on top of the sled as it moves through the snow.
a failure; flop.
Sometimes belly flopper.

Origin of belly flop

First recorded in 1890–95

Example sentences from the Web for belly-flopper

  • "Moles has gone a belly-flopper," shouted the crowd, as it wept with laughter.

    Tell England |Ernest Raymond

British Dictionary definitions for belly-flopper

belly flop

noun

a dive into water in which the body lands horizontally
another name for belly landing

verb belly-flop -flops, -flopping or -flopped

(intr) to perform a belly flop