Showing definitions for slap

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Slang dictionary results for slap

slap

¹ American  

[slap] / slæp /

noun

1. a sharp blow or smack, especially with the open hand or with something flat.

2. a sound made by or as if by such a blow or smack.

   the slap of the waves against the dock.

3. a sharply worded or sarcastic rebuke or comment.

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verb (used with object)

slapped, slapping

1. to strike sharply, especially with the open hand or with something flat.

2. to bring (the hand, something flat, etc.) with a sharp blow against something.

3. to dash or cast forcibly.

   He slapped the package against the wall.

4. to put or place promptly and sometimes haphazardly (often followed byon ).

   The officer slapped a ticket on the car. He slapped mustard on the sandwich.

adverb

1. Informal. directly; straight; smack.

   The tug rammed slap into the side of the freighter.

verb phrase

1. slap down

   1. to subdue, especially by a blow or by force; suppress.

   2. to reject, oppose, or criticize sharply.

      to slap down dissenting voices.

idioms

1. slap on the wrist, relatively mild criticism or censure.

   He got away with a slap on the wrist.

slap ² American  

[slap] / slæp /

noun

1. a gap or opening, as in a fence, wall, cloud bank, or line of troops.

2. a mountain pass.

3. a wound or gash.

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verb (used with object)

slapped, slapping

1. to make a gap or opening in; breach.

slap British  

/ slæp /

noun

1. a sharp blow or smack, as with the open hand, something flat, etc

2. the sound made by or as if by such a blow

3. a sharp rebuke; reprimand

4. informal sexual play

5. an insult or rebuff

6. congratulation

7. a light punishment or reprimand

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verb

1. (tr) to strike (a person or thing) sharply, as with the open hand or something flat

2. (tr) to bring down (the hand, something flat, etc) sharply

3. to strike (something) with or as if with a slap

4. informal (tr) to apply in large quantities, haphazardly, etc

   she slapped butter on the bread

5. to congratulate

adverb

1. exactly; directly

   slap on time

2. forcibly or abruptly

   to fall slap on the floor

Synonym Usage

See blow ¹.

Other Word Forms

• slapper
  noun

Etymology

Origin of slap¹

First recorded in 1625–35; from Low German slapp(e); of expressive origin

Origin of slap²

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English slop(e) “inroad made into enemy ranks,” from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German; cognate with German Schlupf “hiding place”

Explanation

To slap someone is to hit them with the palm of your open hand. It's not nice to slap your sister, no matter how mad you are. A smack or open-handed blow is a slap, and you can also describe the sound it makes—or a similar sound—as a slap. You could describe the slap of water against the side of your rowboat, or say that your mom slaps her magazine against the table when she's done reading. Slap is also an informal adverb, meaning "immediately" or "directly:" "Sneaking out of class, he ran slap into the principal."

Example Sentences

The stuntmen are presumably here because their parent company, Thrill Sports, also distributes Power Slap, Dana White’s passion project.

From Slate • Jun. 16, 2026

Slap a 13x multiple on that and you get $390.

From MarketWatch • Jan. 28, 2026

Next month, Liverpool will hold what is being billed as the first-ever British Heavyweight Slap Fight Competition.

From BBC • Sep. 18, 2024

Whether by accident or agreement, the Slap has not come up much in Smith’s prerelease publicity blitz.

From New York Times • Jun. 7, 2024

Slap, curl fingers together, slap and slide away easy.

From "The Season of Styx Malone" by Kekla Magoon

Related Words

• blip
• blow
• pat
• punch
• whack