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lap¹ Definition

lap (lap)

noun

  1. Now Rare the loose lower part of a garment, which may be doubled or folded over; skirt of a coat or gown
  2. the front part of the skirt when it is held up to form a hollow place in which things can be carried
    1. the front part from the waist to the knees of a person in a sitting position
    2. the part of the clothing covering this
  4. anything hollow like a lap, as a valley
  5. that in which a person or thing rests or is cared for, sheltered, or coddled
  6. a part extending over another part; overlapping part
    1. such extension; overlapping
    2. amount or place of this
  8. a turn or loop, as of a rope around a post
  9. a rotating disk for cutting and polishing glass, gems, etc.
    1. one complete circuit around a racetrack, in a race consisting of more than one
    2. one part or stage of an extended project
  11. the act or condition of lapping

Etymology: ME lappe < OE læppa, fold or hanging part of a garment, skin; akin to Ger lappen < IE base *leb-, lāb-, to hang down > L labare, to totter, labi, to fall, sink, lapsus, a fall

transitive verb lapped, lap′·ping

  1. to fold (over or on)
  2. to wrap; enfold
  3. to hold in or as in the lap; envelop lapped in luxury
  4. to place partly upon something else to lap one board over another
  5. to lie partly upon; overlap one board laps the other
  6. to cut or polish (glass, gems, etc.) with a lap
  7. to get a lap ahead of (an opponent) in a race

Etymology: ME lappen < the n.

intransitive verb

  1. to be folded rough edges must lap under
  2. to lie partly upon something or upon one another; overlap
  3. to project beyond something in space, or extend beyond something in time: with over

lap¹ Idioms

drop into someone's lap

or dump into someone's lap

to cause to be someone's responsibility

in the lap of luxury

surrounded by luxury

in the lap of the gods

beyond human control or power

lap² Definition

lap (lap)

intransitive verb, transitive verb lapped, lap′·ping

  1. to drink (a liquid) by dipping it up with the tongue in the manner of a dog
  2. to move or strike gently with a light splashing sound such as a dog makes in lapping: said of waves, etc.

Etymology: ME lapen < OE lapian, akin to MDu lapen, OHG laffan, to lick < IE echoic base *lab-, to lick > L lambere

noun

  1. the act of lapping
  2. the sound of lapping
  3. something that is, or is intended to be, lapped up

lap² Related Forms
lap′·per noun
lap² Idioms

lap up

  1. to take up (liquid or liquid food) by lapping
  2. Informal to eat or drink greedily
  3. Informal
    1. to accept with enthusiasm
    2. to believe too readily
lap Synonyms

lap

n.

  1. The body from the waist to the knees when sitting

    knees, legs, thighs, front, seat.

  2. The portion that overlaps

    extension, overlap, fold; see flap, overhang.

  3. Part of a race

    circuit, round, loop; see distance 3, race 3.

drop into someone's lap

transfer responsibility, shift blame, pass the buck*; see give 1.

in the lap of luxury

surrounded by luxury, living elegantly, prospering; see rich 1.

in the lap of the gods

superhuman, extraordinary, beyond human control, beyond human understanding; see supernatural.

lap Usage Examples

Preposition: of

  • honor: Bill Clinton visited Shakespeare's county of Warwickshire on his final lap of honor.
  • luxury: The Belfry improvements are now complete and cavers can change, wash and dress in the lap of luxury.
  • circuit: At the time, it was the fastest lap of any closed circuit in the UK.

Converse of object

  • qualify: Used when temperatures are not high and when the maximum power output is required such as in stock car qualifying laps.
  • blister: Later Abbey Motorsport's Skyline just dipped under 1:04 with a blistering lap.
  • swim: Or how my grandfather used to swim effeminate little one-armed laps until he got tired.

Adjective modifier

  • penultimate: Smith had the slight advantage going into the penultimate lap where he suffered with a rear flat tire forcing him out of the race.
  • fast: Can you recall the top ten list of fastest race laps for the 2002 Spanish Grand Prix?
  • final: Bill Clinton visited Shakespeare's county of Warwickshire on his final lap of honor.
  • eighth: David's namesake John spun at the hairpin before retiring on the eighth lap.

Modifies a noun

  • dancing: Lap Dancing to add that sparkling final touch to your stag night!
  • belt: On reaching down for the lap belts, we found there were none fitted to the coach!
  • dancer: Before entering the industry in 1999 Devinn was a stripper and a lap dancer.
  • slate: Resin slate tolerances Single lap resin slate, made in a press, has a smaller manufacturing tolerance than either clay or concrete.
  • timer: Comfortable Sport Clip earphones, case with armband, and integrated stopwatch with lap timer make the Cali a functional sport accessory.
  • stopwatch: Highly functional: The Nike Triax C-8 HRM features a 50 lap memory stopwatch with split time and average heart rate per lap.

Noun used with modifier

  • warm-up: Lucky for him that Fisichella stalled and caused there to be a second warm-up lap!
  • opening: The Australian was visibly hampered by the erratic style of Kosciecha, most notably on turn four of the opening lap.
  • parade: He began his race on the parade lap by nudging his nose behind and beside Hutchinson.
  • closing: Small consolation - in the closing laps, Johnny set second fastest race lap.
lap Quotes

Ye valleys low where the mild whispers use, Of shades and wanton winds, and gushing brooks, On whose fresh lap the swart star sparely looks, Throw hither all your quaint enameled eyes, That on the green turf such the honeyed showers, And purple all the ground with vernal flowers.

—Milton,John

   He spoke, and loosed our heart in tears. He laid us as we lay at birth 31 On the cool flowery lap of earth.

—Arnold, Matthew

So may'st thou live, till like ripe fruit thou drop Into thy mother's lap, or be with ease Gathered, not harshly plucked, for death mature: This is old age; but then thou must outlive Thy youth, thy strength, thy beauty, which will change To withered weak and grey.

—Milton,John

Far from the sun and summer-gale, In thy green lap was Nature's darling laid.

—Gray,Thomas

Browse dictionary entries near lap

  1. ‹ Laotzu
  2. ‹ Laotian
  3. ‹ Laos
  4. ‹ Laomedon
  5. ‹ Laoighis
  6. ‹ Laodicean
  7. ‹ Laodicea
  8. ‹ Laocoön
  9. ‹ Lao
  10. ‹ Lanzhou
  1. lap dancer ›
  2. lap dissolve ›
  3. lap dog ›
  4. lap joint ›
  5. lap robe ›
  6. laparo- ›
  7. laparoscope ›
  8. laparotomy ›
  9. LAPB ›
  10. lapboard ›