clap
pronunciation
How to pronounce clap in British English:
UK [klæp]
How to pronounce clap in American English:
US [klæp]
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- Noun:
- a sudden very loud noise
- a common venereal disease caused by the bacterium Neisseria gonorrhoeae; symptoms are painful urination and pain around the urethra
- a sharp abrupt noise as if two objects hit together; may be repeated
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- Verb:
- put quickly or forcibly
- cause to strike the air in flight
- clap one's hands or shout after performances to indicate approval
- clap one's hands together
- strike the air in flight
- strike with the flat of the hand; usually in a friendly way, as in encouragement or greeting
- strike together so as to produce a sharp percussive noise
Word Origin
- clap (v.)
- Old English clæppan "to throb, beat," common Germanic, echoic (cognate with Old Frisian klapa "to beat," Old Norse klappa, Old High German klaphon, German klappen, Old Saxon klapunga). Meaning "to strike or knock" is from c. 1300. Meaning "to make a sharp noise" is late 14c. Of hands, to beat them together to get attention or express joy, from late 14c. To clap (someone) on the back is from 1520s. Related: Clapped; clapping.
- clap (n.1)
- "loud noise," c. 1200, from clap (v.). Of thunder, late 14c. Meaning "sudden blow" is from c. 1400; meaning "noise made by slapping the palms of the hands together" is from 1590s.
- clap (n.2)
- "gonorrhea," 1580s, of unknown origin, perhaps from Middle English clapper "rabbit-hole," from Old French clapoire (Modern French clapier), originally "rabbit burrow" (of uncertain origin), but given a slang extension to "brothel" and also the name of a disease of some sort. In English originally also a verb, "to infect with clap." Related: Clap-doctor.
Example
- 1. A few clap openly , while others smile self-consciously .
- 2. The audience feels it : they clap , they cheer , they cry .
- 3. As an old chinese saying puts : " one hand cannot clap without another " .
- 4. As far as I can tell , tom hasn 't deliberately mastered a sign for any particular object yet , but he does point incessantly , wave goodbye and clap when excited .
- 5. Encourage your child to move around while watching television : dance when a song comes on , recite the alphabet with the characters and clap for the fun parts .