/ jæp; NAmE / verb ( -pp- ) [ v ]
1.
yap (at sb/sth) ( especially of small dogs ) to bark a lot, making a high, sharp and usually irritating sound :
The dogs yapped at his heels.
yapping dogs
2.
( informal ) to talk in a silly, noisy and usually irritating way
► yap noun
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WORD ORIGIN
early 17th cent. (denoting a dog that yaps): imitative.