INDEX:
1. to clap
2. what you say when you want someone to clap
3. to show that you dislike a person or a performance
RELATED WORDS
see also
↑ WATCH
↑ PERFORM/PERFORMANCE
↑ PRAISE
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1. to clap
▷ clap /klæp/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to hit your hands together loudly and quickly to show that you approve of and are pleased with a play, someone’s performance, someone’s actions etc :
▪ The audience cheered and clapped as the curtain came down.
▪ Fans usually clap the batsman when he leaves the field.
clap your hands
▪ A crowd gathered to watch the runners, clapping their hands and urging them on.
clapping [uncountable noun]
▪ After a while the clapping died down.
▷ applaud /əˈplɔːd/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
if people applaud, they clap excitedly, and often for a long time, in order to show how much they liked something or to show their support for someone :
▪ The crowd applauded when Evans promised to cut taxes.
▪ A group of supporters applauded the strikers as they were led into court.
▷ cheer /tʃɪəʳ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to give a loud, happy shout expressing admiration, approval, and often excitement, for example at a sports event or after a speech :
▪ The audience were now on their feet, cheering wildly.
▪ Thousands of people lined Broadway to cheer the Yankees and celebrate their World Series triumph.
cheer [countable noun]
▪ A great cheer went up when the first goal was scored.
▪ Three cheers for the next Governor of Nebraska!
cheering [uncountable noun]
▪ The cheering went on for ages as the victorious athletes ran around the track.
▷ applause /əˈplɔːz/ [uncountable noun]
the sound of a crowd of people clapping and cheering someone, to show their approval and admiration :
▪ There was loud applause when the band members ran onto the stage.
a round of applause
a short period of applause
▪ The candidate’s promise to improve public schools was greeted with a loud round of applause.
applause dies down
gradually stops
▪ The conductor waited for the applause to die down before signalling for the orchestra to begin.
▷ standing ovation /ˌstændɪŋ əʊˈveɪʃ ə n/ [countable noun]
if someone receives a standing ovation at the end of a performance or speech, the people who are watching or listening to them stand up, clap, and cheer, to show their approval and admiration :
▪ Miller got a standing ovation when he entered the game.
give somebody/something a standing ovation
▪ The speech was given a standing ovation.
2. what you say when you want someone to clap
▷ give somebody a (big) hand /ˌgɪv somebody ə ˌbɪg ˈhænd/ [verb phrase] spoken
if people give a performer a big hand, they clap at the end of their performance, to encourage them and to show their approval - use this especially to ask people to do this :
▪ Let’s give young Suzy a big hand for the marvellous dancing display!
▷ give it up for somebody /ˌgɪv ɪt ˈʌp fəʳ somebody/ [verb phrase] spoken informal
use this to tell people to clap in order to show that they have enjoyed something, or approve of someone :
▪ Come on everyone, let’s give it up for Tom Jones!
▷ put your hands together /ˌpʊt jɔːʳ ˈhændz təˌgeðəʳ/ [verb phrase] spoken
use this to tell people to clap to show their approval for someone who is being introduced or a performance :
▪ Ladies and gentlemen, put your hands together and give a warm welcome to Ricardo Montalban!
3. to show that you dislike a person or a performance
▷ boo /buː/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to shout ‘boo’ to show that you do not like a speaker, performance etc :
▪ Some people in the crowd booed when she walked on stage.
▪ Taylor was booed as he left the field.
boo [countable noun]
▪ Keough denied that the boos affected his performance.
▷ hiss /hɪs/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to make a noise which sounds like ‘ssss’ to show that you do not like a speaker, performance etc :
▪ Relatives of the victim hissed as the killer was led from the courtroom.
hiss at
▪ Hundreds of people shouted and hissed at the prime minister.
hiss [countable noun]
▪ This announcement was greeted with boos and hisses.
▷ jeer /dʒɪəʳ/ [intransitive/transitive verb]
to shout rude remarks at someone or laugh unkindly at them to show that you strongly disapprove of them or their performance :
▪ The fans jeered as it became obvious that their team was going to lose.
▪ The mayor was jeered and booed as he tried to speak to the crowd.
jeer [countable noun]
▪ The audience interrupted the candidate’s speech with jeers and shouts.