lap

[ lap ]

/ læp /

verb (used with object), lapped, lap·ping.

(of water) to wash against or beat upon (something) with a light, slapping or splashing sound: Waves lapped the shoreline.

to take in (liquid) with the tongue; lick in: to lap water from a bowl.

verb (used without object), lapped, lap·ping.

to wash or move in small waves with a light, slapping or splashing sound: The water lapped gently against the mooring.

to take up liquid with the tongue; lick up a liquid.

noun

the act of lapping liquid.

the lapping of water against something.

the sound of this: the quiet lap of the sea on the rocks.

something lapped up, as liquid food for dogs.

Verb Phrases

lap up,

Informal. to receive enthusiastically: The audience lapped up his monologue.
to take in (all of a liquid) with the tongue; drink up: The cat lapped up her milk and looked for more.

Origin of lap

before 1000; Middle English lappen, unexplained variant of lapen, Old English lapian; cognate with Middle Low German lapen, Old High German laffan; akin to Latin lambere, Greek láptein to lick, lap

Words nearby lap

laokoön, laomedon, laon, laos, laotian, lap, lap band , lap belt, lap child, lap dance, lap dancing

British Dictionary definitions for lap up (1 of 4)

lap up

verb (tr, adverb)

to eat or drink

to relish or delight in he laps up old horror films

to believe or accept eagerly and uncritically he laps up tall stories

British Dictionary definitions for lap up (2 of 4)

lap ¹

/ (læp) /

noun

one circuit of a racecourse or track

a stage or part of a journey, race, etc

an overlapping part or projection
the extent of overlap

the length of material needed to go around an object

a rotating disc coated with fine abrasive for polishing gemstones

any device for holding a fine abrasive to polish materials

metallurgy a defect in rolled metals caused by the folding of a fin onto the surface

a sheet or band of fibres, such as cotton, prepared for further processing

verb laps, lapping or lapped

(tr) to wrap or fold (around or over) he lapped a bandage around his wrist

(tr) to enclose or envelop in he lapped his wrist in a bandage

to place or lie partly or completely over or project beyond

(tr; usually passive) to envelop or surround with comfort, love, etc lapped in luxury

(intr) to be folded

(tr) to overtake (an opponent) in a race so as to be one or more circuits ahead

(tr) to polish or cut (a workpiece, gemstone, etc) with a fine abrasive, esp to hone (mating metal parts) against each other with an abrasive

to form (fibres) into a sheet or band

Derived forms of lap

lapper, noun

Word Origin for lap

C13 (in the sense: to wrap): probably from lap 1

British Dictionary definitions for lap up (3 of 4)

lap ²

/ (læp) /

verb laps, lapping or lapped

(of small waves) to wash against (a shore, boat, etc), usually with light splashing sounds

(often foll by up) (esp of animals) to scoop (a liquid) into the mouth with the tongue

noun

the act or sound of lapping

a thin food for dogs or other animals

Derived forms of lap

lapper, noun

Word Origin for lap

Old English lapian; related to Old High German laffan, Latin lambere, Greek laptein

British Dictionary definitions for lap up (4 of 4)

lap ³

/ (læp) /

noun

the area formed by the upper surface of the thighs of a seated person

Also called: lapful the amount held in one's lap

a protected place or environment in the lap of luxury

any of various hollow or depressed areas, such as a hollow in the land

the part of one's clothing that covers the lap

drop in someone's lap give someone the responsibility of

in the lap of the gods beyond human control and power

Word Origin for lap

Old English læppa flap; see lobe, lappet, lop ²

Idioms and Phrases with lap up (1 of 2)

lap up

Take in or receive very eagerly, as in She loves to travel—she just laps it up, or The agency is lapping up whatever information their spies send in. This expression alludes to an animal drinking greedily. [Late 1800s]

Idioms and Phrases with lap up (2 of 2)

lap

In addition to the idioms beginning with lap

lap of luxury, in the
lap of the gods, in the
lap up

also see:

drop in someone's lap

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

lap

verb (used with object), lapped, lap·ping.

verb (used without object), lapped, lap·ping.

noun

Verb Phrases

Origin of lap

Words nearby lap

British Dictionary definitions for lap up (1 of 4)

verb (tr, adverb)

British Dictionary definitions for lap up (2 of 4)

noun

verb laps, lapping or lapped

Derived forms of lap

Word Origin for lap

British Dictionary definitions for lap up (3 of 4)

verb laps, lapping or lapped

noun

Derived forms of lap

Word Origin for lap

British Dictionary definitions for lap up (4 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for lap

Idioms and Phrases with lap up (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with lap up (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

lap

verb (used with object), lapped, lap·ping.

verb (used without object), lapped, lap·ping.

noun

Verb Phrases

Origin of lap

Words nearby lap

Words related to lap up

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for lap up (1 of 4)

verb (tr, adverb)

British Dictionary definitions for lap up (2 of 4)

noun

verb laps, lapping or lapped

Derived forms of lap

Word Origin for lap

British Dictionary definitions for lap up (3 of 4)

verb laps, lapping or lapped

noun

Derived forms of lap

Word Origin for lap

British Dictionary definitions for lap up (4 of 4)

noun

Word Origin for lap

Idioms and Phrases with lap up (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with lap up (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for lap up (1 of 4)