I. ˌslap ˈbang BrE AmE ( also slap ) adverb informal
1 . if you run, drive etc slap bang into something, you hit it with a lot of force
slap bang into
I ran slap bang into a lamp-post.
2 . exactly in a particular place or at a particular time
slap bang next to
Anne’s house is slap bang next to the station.
II. slap 1 /slæp/ BrE AmE verb ( past tense and past participle slapped , present participle slapping )
1 . [transitive] to hit someone with the flat part of your hand ⇨ punch :
Sarah slapped Aaron across the face.
2 . [transitive always + adverb/preposition] to put something down on a surface with force, especially when you are angry:
Giles slapped his cards down on the table.
3 . slap somebody on the back to hit someone on the back in a friendly way, often as a way of praising them
4 . [intransitive always + adverb/preposition] to hit a surface with a lot of force, making a loud sharp sound
slap against
Small waves slapped against the side of the boat.
slap somebody down phrasal verb British English
to rudely tell someone that their suggestions, questions, ideas etc are stupid
slap something ↔ on phrasal verb informal
1 . to put or spread something quickly or carelessly onto a surface:
She ran upstairs and slapped on some make-up.
slap something on something
We could slap some paint on it.
2 . to suddenly announce a new charge, tax etc or say that something is not allowed – used especially when you think this is unfair:
Many tour operators slap on supplements for single people.
slap something on something
In 1977, the president slapped a ban on the commercial reprocessing of nuclear fuel.
• • •
THESAURUS
■ to hit someone
▪ hit to hit someone quickly and hard with your hand, a stick etc:
He hit him hard in the stomach.
|
I don’t like to see people hitting a dog.
▪ beat to hit someone deliberately many times, especially very hard:
The girl had been beaten to death.
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He was beating the donkey with a stick.
▪ strike written to hit someone with your hand or a weapon. Strike is more formal than hit and is mainly used in written English:
Her husband struck her twice across the face.
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Police say that the man had been struck on the head.
▪ punch to hit someone hard with your closed hand, especially in a fight:
I punched him on the nose.
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She was screaming and punching him with her fists.
▪ thump /θʌmp/ informal to punch someone very hard:
Sometimes I just want to thump him.
▪ beat somebody up to hurt someone badly in a violent attack, by hitting them many times:
If I tell the police, they'll beat me up.
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He had been beaten up and tortured with lighted cigarettes.
▪ slap to hit someone with your open hand, especially because you are angry with them:
They had a big row and she ended up slapping him.
▪ spank ( also smack especially British English ) to hit someone, especially a child, with your open hand in order to punish them:
Should a parent ever smack a child?
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I don’t agree with smacking.
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In those days, children were spanked if they behaved badly.
III. slap 2 BrE AmE noun
[ Date: 1600-1700 ; Language: Low German ; Origin: slapp , from the sound ]
1 . [countable] a quick hit with the flat part of your hand ⇨ punch :
Julia gave Roy a slap on the cheek.
2 . a slap in the face an action that seems to be deliberately intended to offend or upset someone, especially someone who has tried very hard to do something
3 . a slap on the wrist a punishment that you think is not severe enough
4 . a slap on the back an action of hitting someone on the back in a friendly way, especially as a way of praising them
5 . [uncountable] informal ↑ make-up