belly flop

¹ American  

Sometimes belly flopper

noun

Northern and North Midland U.S.

1. an awkward, usually unintentional dive in which the front of the body strikes the water horizontally, the abdomen or chest bearing the brunt of the impact.

2. a maneuver with a sled in which the sledder runs with the sled to gain momentum and jumps forward to land on top of the sled as it moves through the snow.

3. a failure; flop.

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belly-flop ² American  

[bel-ee-flop] / ˈbɛl iˌflɒp /

verb (used without object)

Northern and North Midland U.S.

belly-flopped, belly-flopping

1. to do a belly flop, as in diving or sledding.

2. to land or throw oneself heavily down on one's belly.

   so tired he just belly-flopped on the bed.

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belly flop British  

noun

1. a dive into water in which the body lands horizontally

2. another name for belly landing

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verb

1. (intr) to perform a belly flop

Etymology

Origin of belly flop¹

First recorded in 1890–95

Origin of belly-flop²

First recorded in 1930–35

Example Sentences

In fact, they discovered, this particular sequence of movements — curl up, jump, finish with a belly flop — is not unusual among other worm-shaped organisms that jump, including caterpillars and fly larvae.

From New York Times • Jun. 20, 2024

Anyone who's ever done a belly flop into a swimming pool knows it ends with a blunt-sounding splat, a big splash and a searing red sting.

From Science Daily • Nov. 6, 2023

In Switzerland, he was rescued by scuba divers who pulled him unconscious from a lake after a belly flop.

From Washington Times • Jul. 24, 2023

San Francisco did a belly flop in rainy Chicago, 19-10.

From Los Angeles Times • Sep. 16, 2022

It didn’t kill, but it left Leo feeling like he’d just done a belly flop off the deep end.

From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan