lap

[ lap ]

/ læp /

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See synonyms for: lap / lapped / lapping on Thesaurus.com

noun

the front part of the human body from the waist to the knees when in a sitting position.

the part of the clothing that lies on the front portion of the body from the waist to the knees when one sits.

a place, environment, or situation of rest or nurture: the lap of luxury.

area of responsibility, care, charge, or control: They dropped the problem right in his lap.

a hollow place, as a hollow among hills.

the front part of a skirt, especially as held up to contain something.

a part of a garment that extends over another: the lap of a coat.

a loose border or fold.

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Origin of lap

First recorded before 900; Middle English lap(pe) “lower part of a shirt or skirt,” Old English læppa “skirt (of a garment)”; cognate with Dutch lap; akin to German lappen, Old Norse leppr “lock of hair; rag, patch”

Words nearby lap

Laos, Lao She, Laotian, Lao-tzu, Lao Zi, lap, lapactic, La Palma, lapar-, laparectomy, laparo-

Other definitions for lap (2 of 4)

lap²

[ lap ]

/ læp /

verb (used with object), lapped, lap·ping.

to fold over or around something; wrap or wind around something: to lap a bandage around one's finger.

to enwrap in something; wrap up; clothe.

to envelop or enfold: lapped in luxury.

to lay (something) partly over something underneath; lay (things) together, one partly over another; overlap.

to lie partly over (something underneath).

to get a lap or more ahead of (a competitor) in racing, as on an oval track.

to cut or polish with a lap.

to join, as by scarfing, to form a single piece with the same dimensions throughout.

to change (cotton, wool, etc.) into a compressed layer or sheet.

verb (used without object), lapped, lap·ping.

to fold or wind around something.

to lie partly over or alongside of something else.

to lie upon and extend beyond a thing; overlap.

to extend beyond a limit.

noun

the act of lapping.

the amount of material required to go around a thing once.

a complete circuit of a course in racing or in walking for exercise: to run a lap.

an overlapping part.

the extent or amount of overlapping.

a rotating wheel or disk holding an abrasive or polishing powder on its surface, used for gems, cutlery, etc.

a compressed layer or sheet of cotton, wool, or other fibrous material usually wound on an iron rod or rolled into a cylindrical form for further processing during carding.

Origin of lap

First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English lappen, lap(pe) “to fold, wrap”; cognate with Dutch lappen “to patch, mend”; akin to lap¹

Other definitions for lap (3 of 4)

lap³

[ lap ]

/ læp /

verb (used with object), lapped, lap·ping.

(of water) to wash against or beat upon (something) with a light, slapping or splashing sound: Waves lapped the shoreline.

to take in (liquid) with the tongue; lick in: to lap water from a bowl.

verb (used without object), lapped, lap·ping.

to wash or move in small waves with a light, slapping or splashing sound: The water lapped gently against the mooring.

to take up liquid with the tongue; lick up a liquid.

noun

the act of lapping liquid.

the lapping of water against something.

the sound of this: the quiet lap of the sea on the rocks.

something lapped up, as liquid food for dogs.

Verb Phrases

lap up,

Informal. to receive enthusiastically: The audience lapped up his monologue.
to take in (all of a liquid) with the tongue; drink up: The cat lapped up her milk and looked for more.

Origin of lap

First recorded before 1000; Middle English lap(p)en, Old English lapian; cognate with Middle Low German lapen, Old High German laffan; akin to Latin lambere “to lick, touch,”Greek láptein “to lick, lap”

Other definitions for lap (4 of 4)

lap⁴

[ lap ]

/ læp /

verb Archaic.

archaic simple past tense of leap.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use lap in a sentence

An ultra-portable lap desk with an adjustable easel helps remedy these problems, by providing that little ergonomic lift.
Convenient laptop stands with adjustable easels|PopSci Commerce Team|September 23, 2020|Popular-Science
This makes it not only a great lap desk for working from a couch or coffee table—or even from the floor—but also an excellent standing desk converter for your existing work setup.
Convenient laptop stands with adjustable easels|PopSci Commerce Team|September 23, 2020|Popular-Science
Human drivers who notice that their cars are close to overheating, for example, may decide to take the risk and finish a race if there are just a few laps left.
Self-driving cars will hit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a landmark A.I. race|jonathanvanian2015|September 19, 2020|Fortune
In order to win, a team’s autonomous car must be able to complete 20 laps—which equates to a little less than 50 miles in distance—and cross the finish line first in 25 minutes or less.
Self-driving cars will hit the Indianapolis Motor Speedway in a landmark A.I. race|jonathanvanian2015|September 19, 2020|Fortune

By July, we would normally have accumulated hundreds of laps worth of data from race weekends to help develop the car.
How data helped keep Red Bull’s F1 team on track during the pandemic|Jeremy Kahn|September 19, 2020|Fortune
New Senate Majority Leader McConnell had just taken a victory lap held a press conference.
The Booze That Saved America|Kevin Bleyer|November 8, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This is a certifiable situation in our collective nervous lap, and the time is now for.
ISIS and BS|Amal Ghandour|October 15, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Instead of taking a victory lap, she was was dodging reporters.
Koch Brothers Bail Out GOP Senate Hopeful in Oregon|Ben Jacobs|August 25, 2014|DAILY BEAST
A. I struck him in the back of the head while he was in my lap fighting to break free.
From Ferguson Cop Embroiled in a Brutality Suit to City Councilwoman|Michael Daly|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Tihen had insisted he was in her lap as she struggled to handcuff him.
From Ferguson Cop Embroiled in a Brutality Suit to City Councilwoman|Michael Daly|August 20, 2014|DAILY BEAST
At the sight, Felipe flung himself on his knees before her; he kissed the aged hands as they lay trembling in her lap.
Ramona|Helen Hunt Jackson
See the ease and grace of the lady in the sacque, who sits on the bank there, under the myrtles, with the guitar on her lap!
Checkmate|Joseph Sheridan Le Fanu
I turned round, thrust my purse into the lap of the nearest, and with a light heart led the lady back to the hotel.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, Volume 60, No. 372, October 1846|Various
There was a picture of Madame Lebrun with Robert as a baby, seated in her lap, a round-faced infant with a fist in his mouth.
The Awakening and Selected Short Stories|Kate Chopin
Before that time we always put rope-yarn between the lap of the boiler-plates to make the seams tight.
Life of Richard Trevithick, Volume II (of 2)|Francis Trevithick

British Dictionary definitions for lap (1 of 3)

lap¹

/ (læp) /

noun

one circuit of a racecourse or track

a stage or part of a journey, race, etc

an overlapping part or projection
the extent of overlap

the length of material needed to go around an object

a rotating disc coated with fine abrasive for polishing gemstones

any device for holding a fine abrasive to polish materials

metallurgy a defect in rolled metals caused by the folding of a fin onto the surface

a sheet or band of fibres, such as cotton, prepared for further processing

verb laps, lapping or lapped

(tr) to wrap or fold (around or over)he lapped a bandage around his wrist

(tr) to enclose or envelop inhe lapped his wrist in a bandage

to place or lie partly or completely over or project beyond

(tr; usually passive) to envelop or surround with comfort, love, etclapped in luxury

(intr) to be folded

(tr) to overtake (an opponent) in a race so as to be one or more circuits ahead

(tr) to polish or cut (a workpiece, gemstone, etc) with a fine abrasive, esp to hone (mating metal parts) against each other with an abrasive

to form (fibres) into a sheet or band

Derived forms of lap

lapper, noun

Word Origin for lap

C13 (in the sense: to wrap): probably from lap 1

British Dictionary definitions for lap (2 of 3)

lap²

/ (læp) /

verb laps, lapping or lapped

(of small waves) to wash against (a shore, boat, etc), usually with light splashing sounds

(often foll by up) (esp of animals) to scoop (a liquid) into the mouth with the tongue

noun

the act or sound of lapping

a thin food for dogs or other animals

Derived forms of lap

lapper, noun

Word Origin for lap

Old English lapian; related to Old High German laffan, Latin lambere, Greek laptein

British Dictionary definitions for lap (3 of 3)

lap³

/ (læp) /

noun

the area formed by the upper surface of the thighs of a seated person

Also called: lapful the amount held in one's lap

a protected place or environmentin the lap of luxury

any of various hollow or depressed areas, such as a hollow in the land

the part of one's clothing that covers the lap

drop in someone's lap give someone the responsibility of

in the lap of the gods beyond human control and power

Word Origin for lap

Old English læppa flap; see lobe, lappet, lop ²

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with lap

lap

In addition to the idioms beginning with lap

lap of luxury, in the
lap of the gods, in the
lap up

also see:

drop in someone's lap

lap

Origin of lap

Words nearby lap

Other definitions for lap (2 of 4)

Origin of lap

Other definitions for lap (3 of 4)

Origin of lap

Other definitions for lap (4 of 4)

Words related to lap

How to use lap in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for lap (1 of 3)

Derived forms of lap

Word Origin for lap

British Dictionary definitions for lap (2 of 3)

Derived forms of lap

Word Origin for lap

British Dictionary definitions for lap (3 of 3)

Word Origin for lap

Other Idioms and Phrases with lap