I. ˈflap noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English flappe, probably of imitative origin; in senses 5, 6, and 7, probably from flap (II)
1. obsolete : stroke , blow ; often : a stroke with something broad (as the open hand) : slap
2. obsolete : something broad and flat (as a flyswatter) used for striking
3. : something that is broad, limber, or flat and usually thin and that hangs loose or projects freely: as
a. : a hinged leaf or fold (as of a table, door, or shutter)
b. : half of a hinge having two broad leaves through which screw holes are pierced especially when one of them is to be screwed to the face of a door or shutter instead of to the edge — see strap hinge
c.
(1) : a piece on a garment that hangs free
double flaps set off the pockets
or can be adjusted to hang free
a storm cap with a wool-lined flap that can be pulled down to protect the ears
(2) : a tongue of a shoe
(3) : a brim of a hat
d.
(1) : a projecting edge of a flexible book cover (as in a divinity circuit binding)
(2) : a part of a book jacket that folds under the book's cover
e. : a piece of tissue partly severed from its place of origin for use in surgical grafting and repair of bodily defects
f. : an extended part that forms the closure of a bag, envelope, carton, or fiberboard case
g. : a cloth or rubber strip inserted between the tube and the beads of an automobile tire to protect the tube from contact with the rim
h. : a movable auxiliary airfoil usually attached to the trailing edge of an airplane wing to increase wing resistance
4. : a flat piece, slice, or layer
a flap of bread
5.
a. : the motion of something broad and limber (as a sail or wing)
the steady flap of northbound wings
also : a single stroke of such motion
the sail gave a flap as the breeze died
b. : the sound of such motion
startled by the sudden flap of a loose shutter
c. : a brush followed by a step on the same foot in tap dancing
6. : an energetic single bouncing of the tip of the tongue against the hard palate (as in a frequent American articulation of the tt in Betty or a frequent southern British articulation of the rr in berry )
7.
a. : a state of excitement or panicky confusion : hullabaloo
the president's statement had everybody in a flap
b. : crisis
when there was a flap abroad — Thomas Braden
II. verb
( flapped ; flapped ; flapping ; flaps )
Etymology: Middle English flappen, from flappe, n.
transitive verb
1.
a. obsolete : strike , clap
b. : to beat with or as if with a flap : strike with a surface (as of a bird's wing or of a flyswatter)
the loose scarf flapped his face
2.
a. : to toss sharply : fling — usually used with down
flapped the paper down angrily
b. : to turn (as a pancake) by tossing
3. : to move or cause to move in flaps
a bird flapping its wings
the uncertain breezes flap the sails
4. : to arouse the attention of by or as if by striking with a flap
sent an emissary to flap the local agents
5. : to lower the flap of (as a hat or cap)
6. : to break (the surface of the slag) in the fire-refining of copper by striking with a rabble, exposing the molten metal to the air, and hastening oxidation
7. : to utter with a flap articulation
a flapped r
intransitive verb
1. : to give a quick blow (as with the hand) : clap
2. : to sway loosely usually with a noise of striking and especially when moved by wind
the tent flapped in the rising breeze
3.
a. : to beat or pulsate wings or something suggesting wings
the children flapped with their arms as they scurried down the hill
b. : to progress by flapping
early ideas of airplanes that would flap like birds
c. of a rotor blade : to move up and down while rotating at the center
4.
a. : to flutter ineffectively (as by beating of wings)
the bird flapping helplessly against the screen
b. : to act or move erratically or to little effect
such childish flapping to and fro will get you nowhere
5. : to talk foolishly or to no purpose — usually used with about
the thing's settled, there's no use flapping about it now
all he does is flap about his own importance