slap

[ slap ]

/ slæp /

SEE MORE SYNONYMS FOR slap ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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

a sound made by or as if by such a blow or smack: the slap of the waves against the dock.

a sharply worded or sarcastic rebuke or comment.

verb (used with object), slapped, slap·ping.

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

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

to dash or cast forcibly: He slapped the package against the wall.

to put or place promptly and sometimes haphazardly (often followed by on): The officer slapped a ticket on the car. He slapped mustard on the sandwich.

adverb

Informal. directly; straight; smack: The tug rammed slap into the side of the freighter.

Verb Phrases

slap down,

to subdue, especially by a blow or by force; suppress.
to reject, oppose, or criticize sharply: to slap down dissenting voices.

Nearby words

Idioms

slap on the wrist, relatively mild criticism or censure: He got away with a slap on the wrist.

Origin of slap

First recorded in 1625–35, slap is from the Low German word slapp, slappe; of expressive orig.

Related formsslap·per, noun

Synonym study

1. See blow¹.

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for slap down

slap down

verb

(tr, adverb) informal to rebuke sharply, as for impertinence

slap

/ (slæp) /

noun

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

the sound made by or as if by such a blow

a sharp rebuke; reprimand

a bit of slap and tickle or slap and tickle British informal sexual play

a slap in the face an insult or rebuff

a slap on the back congratulation

a slap on the wrist a light punishment or reprimand

verb slaps, slapping or slapped

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

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

(when intr, usually foll by against) to strike (something) with or as if with a slap

(tr) informal, mainly British to apply in large quantities, haphazardly, etcshe slapped butter on the bread

slap on the back to congratulate

adverb informal

exactly; directlyslap on time

forcibly or abruptlyto fall slap on the floor

Derived Formsslapper, noun

Word Origin for slap

C17: from Low German slapp, German Schlappe, of imitative origin

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

Word Origin and History for slap down

slap

late 15c., "strike with the open hand," from slap (n.). As an adverb, 1670s, "suddenly;" 1829, "directly." Related: Slapped; slapping.

slap

mid-15c., probably of imitative origin, similar to Low German slappe, German Schlappe. Figurative meaning "insult, reprimand" is attested from 1736. Slap-happy (1936) originally meant "punch-drunk." Slap on the wrist "very mild punishment" dates from 1914.

Idioms and Phrases with slap down

slap down

Restrain or correct emphatically, as in They thought he was getting far too arrogant and needed to be slapped down. This idiom, which literally means “inflict a physical blow,” began to be used figuratively in the first half of the 1900s.

slap

noun

verb (used with object), slapped, slap·ping.

adverb

Verb Phrases

RELATED CONTENT

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Nearby words

Idioms

Origin of slap

Synonym study

slap down

verb

slap

noun

verb slaps, slapping or slapped

adverb informal

Word Origin for slap

slap

slap

slap down