wallop

[wol-uhp]

verb (used with object)

1. to beat soundly; thrash.

2. Informal.,  to strike with a vigorous blow; belt; sock.

   After two strikes, he walloped the ball out of the park.

3. Informal.,  to defeat thoroughly, as in a game.

   Synonyms: best, crush, rout, trounce

4. Chiefly Scot.,  to flutter, wobble, or flop about.

verb (used without object)

1. Informal.,  to move violently and clumsily.

   The puppy walloped down the walk.

2. (of a liquid) to boil violently.

3. Obsolete.,  to gallop.

noun

1. a vigorous blow.

2. the ability to deliver vigorous blows, as in boxing.

   That fist of his packs a wallop.

3. Informal.

   1. the ability to effect a forceful impression; punch.

      That ad packs a wallop.

   2. a pleasurable thrill; kick.

      The joke gave them all a wallop.

4. Informal.,  a violent, clumsy movement; lurch.

5. Obsolete.,  a gallop.

wallop

/ ˈwɒləp /

verb

1. informal,  (tr) to beat soundly; strike hard

2. informal,  (tr) to defeat utterly

3. dialect,  (intr) to move in a clumsy manner

4. (intr) (of liquids) to boil violently

noun

1. informal,  a hard blow

2. informal,  the ability to hit powerfully, as of a boxer

3. informal,  a forceful impression

4. a slang word for beer

verb

1. an obsolete word for gallop

Other Word Forms

• walloper noun
• outwallop verb (used with object)

Word History and Origins

Origin of wallop¹

1300–50; Middle English walopen to gallop, wal ( l ) op gallop < Anglo-French waloper (v.), walop (noun), Old French galoper, galop; gallop

Word History and Origins

Origin of wallop¹

C14: from Old Northern French waloper to gallop, from Old French galoper, of unknown origin

Idioms and Phrases

see pack a punch (wallop).

Example Sentences

Instead, he shows us a glimpse of bored, incarcerated kids tossing a wadded-up foil blanket in their cage and that image alone packs a wallop.

From Los Angeles Times

Reports suggest about 16,000 fans watched the walloping at Walton Heath.

From BBC

Pilots wallop another outmatched opponent while waiting to be tested.

From Los Angeles Times

Tino’s Indiana Hoosiers, thanks largely to the efforts of the quarterback he coached, had just walloped Foster’s Bruins.

From Los Angeles Times

Putting all intellectualizing aside for a moment, the main reason “Peacemaker” succeeds is because it remembers to have a good time while delivering a satisfying wallop to people that we can universally agree are terrible.

From Salon

Related Words

• clobber 
• drub 
• pummel 
• smack 
• whack