clap
1- to strike the palms of (one's hands) against one another resoundingly, and usually repeatedly, especially to express approval: She clapped her hands in appreciation.
- to strike (someone) amicably with a light, open-handed slap, as in greeting, encouragement, or the like: He clapped his friend on the back.
- to strike (an object) against something quickly and forcefully, producing an abrupt, sharp sound, or a series of such sounds: to clap a book on the table.
- to bring together forcefully (facing surfaces of the same object): She clapped the book shut.
- to applaud (a performance, speech, speaker, etc.) by clapping the hands: The audience clapped the actors at the end of the act.
- to put or place quickly or forcefully: to clap a lid on a jar; She clapped her hand over his mouth. They clapped him in jail.
- to make or arrange hastily (often followed by up or together).
- to clap the hands, as to express approval; applaud: After the audience stopped clapping, the tenor sang two encores.
- to make an abrupt, sharp sound, as of flat surfaces striking against one another: The shutters clapped in the wind.
- to move or strike with such a sound: She clapped across the room in her slippers.
- an act or instance of clapping.
- the abrupt, sharp sound produced by clapping.
- a resounding blow; slap.
- a loud and abrupt or explosive noise, as of thunder.
- a sudden stroke, blow, or act.
- Printing. clapper(def 5).
- Obsolete. a sudden mishap.
- clap eyes on. eye(def 42).
- clap hold of, Nautical. to take hold of.
Origin of clap
1Related Words for clapped
cheer, pat, bang, slap, smash, wham, crash, applause, burst, thunder, thwack, thrust, slam, boom, wallop, crack, strike, blast, whack, thunderclapExamples from the Web for clapped
Contemporary Examples of clapped
Guilavogui clapped his empty hands together and went up to the street to fold the newspaper dispensers up by the subway entrance.
We laughed and whooped and clapped and danced and hugged each other.
The standing-room-only audience swayed and clapped and danced.
Jon Batiste, a Thrilling Jazz Pianist Whose First Goal Is to EntertainHoward Wolfson
February 16, 2014
Ringo clapped; Yoko flashed peace signs; Steven Tyler tumbled for ya; Beyoncé shimmied; and Katy Perry threw “Roar” punches.
After Lendegger walked the award over to her and it was plunked down on the table, the crowd of about 175 stood up and clapped.
Harper Lee Makes a Surprise Appearance at an Alabama Literary LuncheonMary McDonagh Murphy
May 3, 2012
Historical Examples of clapped
She clapped her hands at a happy inspiration, and hung on his arm.
VivietteWilliam J. Locke
He clapped his hands, with that thrill of joy which true art will ever give to a true artist.
The White CompanyArthur Conan Doyle
As he clapped his legs to the horse's back he stuck his knife into the Potawatami.
The Trail BookMary Austin
Lloyd clapped her hands and spun around the room like a top.
The Little ColonelAnnie Fellows Johnston
"That man sized you up the minute he clapped his eyes on you," he said.
The Foolish LoversSt. John G. Ervine
clap
1- to make or cause to make a sharp abrupt sound, as of two nonmetallic objects struck together
- to applaud (someone or something) by striking the palms of the hands together sharply
- (tr) to strike (a person) lightly with an open hand, in greeting, encouragement, etc
- (tr) to place or put quickly or forciblythey clapped him into jail
- (of certain birds) to flap (the wings) noisily
- (tr; foll by up or together) to contrive or put together hastilythey soon clapped up a shed
- clap eyes on informal to catch sight of
- clap hold of informal to grasp suddenly or forcibly
- the sharp abrupt sound produced by striking the hands together
- the act of clapping, esp in applausehe deserves a good clap
- a sudden sharp sound, esp of thunder
- a light blow
- archaic a sudden action or mishap
Word Origin for clap
clap
2- the clap a slang word for gonorrhoea
Word Origin for clap
Word Origin and History for clapped
clap
Old English clæppan "to throb, beat," common West Germanic, echoic (cf. 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
"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.
clap
"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
(klăp)- Gonorrhea. Often used with the.