flap

[ flap ]

/ flæp /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR flap ON THESAURUS.COM

verb (used without object), flapped, flap·ping.

to swing or sway back and forth loosely, especially with noise: A loose shutter flapped outside the window.

to move up and down, as wings; flap the wings, or make similar movements.

to strike a blow with something broad and flexible.

Slang. to become excited or confused, especially under stress: a seasoned diplomat who doesn't flap easily.

verb (used with object), flapped, flap·ping.

to move (wings, arms, etc.) up and down.

to cause to swing or sway loosely, especially with noise.

to strike with something broad and flat.

to toss, fold, shut, etc., smartly, roughly, or noisily.

Phonetics. to pronounce (a sound) with articulation resembling that of a flap: The British often flap their r's.

noun

something flat and broad that is attached at one side only and hangs loosely or covers an opening: the flap of an envelope; the flap of a pocket.

either of the two segments of a book jacket folding under the book's front and back covers.

one leaf of a folding door, shutter, or the like.

a flapping motion.

the noise produced by something that flaps.

a blow given with something broad and flat.

Slang.

a state of nervous excitement, commotion, or disorganization.
an emergency situation.
scandal; trouble.

Surgery. a portion of skin or flesh that is partially separated from the body and may subsequently be transposed by grafting.

Aeronautics. a movable surface used for increasing the lift or drag of an airplane.

Phonetics.

a rapid flip of the tongue tip against the upper teeth or alveolar ridge, as in the r-sound in a common British pronunciation of very, or the t-sound in the common American pronunciation of water.
a trill.
a flipping out of the lower lip from a position of pressure against the upper teeth so as to produce an audible pop, as in emphatic utterances containing f-sounds or v-sounds.

Building Trades.

Also called backflap hinge, flap hinge. a hinge having a strap or plate for screwing to the face of a door, shutter, or the like.
one leaf of a hinge.

Origin of flap

1275–1325; Middle English flappe a blow, slap, flappen to hit, slap; compare Dutch flap, flappen

OTHER WORDS FROM flap

flap·less, adjective un·flap·ping, adjective

Words nearby flap

flannelmouthed, flanner, flannery, flanning, flanny, flap, flap amputation, flap door, flap operation, flap valve, flapdoodle

Example sentences from the Web for flapping

Wingnuts were flapping their wings when far-left liberals got all misty-eyed talking about “Uncle Joe” Stalin.

America's 9 Worst Demagogues |John Avlon |September 2, 2010 |DAILY BEAST
Well, Grue went under, still clutching the squirming, flapping bird; and he stayed under.

Police!!! |Robert W. Chambers
It was that of a little man, wearing a big, flapping brimmed hat.

The Motor Boys Overland |Clarence Young
The breeze through the wide-flung bow-window was fluttering the papers on the desk and the map on the wall was flapping sidewise.

The Valiants of Virginia |Hallie Erminie Rives

Instead of blowing, he raised a gale only by flapping his cloak; and the water rose behind us in a sea-wall.

The Vinland Champions |Ottilie A. Liljencrantz
Scarcely had the thought occurred, when a flapping noise behind caused him to turn quickly.

The Eagle Cliff |R.M. Ballantyne

British Dictionary definitions for flapping

flap

/ (flæp) /

verb flaps, flapping or flapped

to move (wings or arms) up and down, esp in or as if in flying, or (of wings or arms) to move in this way

to move or cause to move noisily back and forth or up and down the curtains flapped in the breeze

(intr) informal to become agitated or flustered; panic

to deal (a person or thing) a blow with a broad flexible object

(tr sometimes foll by down) to toss, fling, slam, etc, abruptly or noisily

(tr) phonetics to pronounce (an (r) sound) by allowing the tongue to give a single light tap against the alveolar ridge or uvula

noun

the action, motion, or noise made by flapping with one flap of its wings the bird was off

a piece of material, etc, attached at one edge and usually used to cover an opening, as on a tent, envelope, or pocket

a blow dealt with a flat object; slap

a movable surface fixed to the trailing edge of an aircraft wing that increases lift during takeoff and drag during landing

surgery a piece of tissue partially connected to the body, either following an amputation or to be used as a graft

informal a state of panic, distress, or agitation

phonetics an (r) produced by allowing the tongue to give a single light tap against the alveolar ridge or uvula

Word Origin for flap

C14: probably of imitative origin

Medical definitions for flapping

flap

[ flăp ]

n.

Tissue used in surgical grafting that is only partially detached from its donor site so that it continues to be nourished during transfer to the recipient site.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

flap

verb (used without object), flapped, flap·ping.

verb (used with object), flapped, flap·ping.

noun

Origin of flap

OTHER WORDS FROM flap

Words nearby flap

Example sentences from the Web for flapping

British Dictionary definitions for flapping

verb flaps, flapping or flapped

noun

Word Origin for flap

Medical definitions for flapping

n.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

flap

verb (used without object), flapped, flap·ping.

verb (used with object), flapped, flap·ping.

noun

Origin of flap

OTHER WORDS FROM flap

Words nearby flap

Words related to flapping

Example sentences from the Web for flapping

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for flapping

verb flaps, flapping or flapped

noun

Word Origin for flap

Medical definitions for flapping

n.

British Dictionary definitions for flapping