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• dap
  dap

  verb (used without object)

  to fish by letting the bait fall lightly on the water.
• DAP
  DAP

  abbreviation

  distributed array processor

dap

¹ American  

[dap] / dæp /

verb (used without object)

dapped, dapping

1. to fish by letting the bait fall lightly on the water.

2. to dip lightly or suddenly into water.

   The bird dapped for the fish.

3. to bounce or skip, as on the surface of a body of water.

   The stone dapped along the surface of the pond.

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verb (used with object)

dapped, dapping

1. to cause to dip in and out of water.

   to dap one's bait.

2. to cause to skip along the surface of water.

   to dap stones across the river.

3. Carpentry. to notch (a timber) to receive part of another timber.

noun

1. Carpentry. a notch in a timber for receiving part of another timber.

dap ² American  

[dap] / dæp /

noun

1. a stylized gesture of greeting, congratulation, or solidarity in which two people join hands in a nontraditional handshake grip, bump fists, snap fingers, etc., often concluding with a one-armed hug.

   players giving dap and high-fives to fans after the game.

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verb (used with or without object)

1. to greet, congratulate, or express solidarity with (a person) in this way (often followed byup ): Hey man, I haven’t seen you in ages—come over here and dap me up!

   When an old friend got assigned to my project at work, it was hard to know whether we should dap or shake hands.

   Hey man, I haven’t seen you in ages—come over here and dap me up!

dap ¹ British  

/ dæp /

verb

1. angling to fish with a natural or artificial fly on a floss silk line so that the wind makes the fly bob on and off the surface of the water

2. (intr) (as of a bird) to dip lightly into water

3. to bounce or cause to bounce

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DAP ² British  

abbreviation

1. distributed array processor

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dap ³ British  

/ dæp /

noun

1. dialect another word for plimsoll

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Etymology

Origin of dap¹

First recorded in 1575–85; probably variant of dab ¹

Origin of dap²

First recorded in 1970–75; originally African American Vernacular English and used by African American soldiers during the Vietnam War; further origin uncertain; perhaps a variant of dab ¹ ( def. ) or tap ¹ ( def. )

Example Sentences

That marks the first time DAP has declined since Meta started reporting the metric.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

The writer of this article is an employee of DAP Health.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2024

Today, groups like The DAP Project celebrate dap as the love language that it is.

From Salon • Feb. 19, 2024

The DAP sits alongside the government's National Disability Strategy,, external which is aimed at improving the everyday lives of disabled people.

From BBC • Feb. 5, 2024

I draw you! a horse draw you, and a halter, You, and your flies together— DAP.

From The Alchemist by Jonson, Ben