clap

UK: /ˈklæp/ US: /klæp/ ,(klap)

Inflections of 'clap' (v): (⇒ conjugate)

claps

v 3rd person singular

clapping

v pres p

clapped

v past

clapped

v past p

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

clap¹ /klæp/   v., clapped, clap•ping, n. 
v. 

1. to strike the palms of (one's hands) together: [no object]
   They clapped as the president entered the room.
   [~ + object]
   We clapped our hands until they ached.
2. to strike (someone) with a light slap, as in friendly greeting:
   [~ + object] He clapped his friend on the back.
3. to strike (an object) against something quickly and forcefully, producing a sharp sound:
   [~ + object] She clapped the book shut.
4. [no object] to make an abrupt, sharp sound, as of flat surfaces striking against each other:
   The window shutters clapped in the wind.
5. to put or place quickly or forcefully: [~ + on + object]
   He clapped on his hat and dashed outside.
   [~ + object + on]
   He clapped handcuffs on the gunman and brought him outside.

n. [countable]

6. an act of clapping:
   A few claps turned into thunderous applause.
7. a slap or tap:
   There was the mayor, giving out his usual claps on the back.
8. a loud and quick or explosive noise, such as of thunder:
   Claps of thunder woke her up during the storm.

clap² /klæp/  n. 

1. Slang Terms, Pathology [uncountable* often: the + ~] gonorrhea.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

clap¹  (klap), v. clapped, clap•ping, n. 
v.t. 

1. to strike the palms of (one's hands) against one another resoundingly, and usually repeatedly, esp. to express approval:
   She clapped her hands in appreciation.
2. to strike (someone) amicably with a light, open-handed slap, as in greeting, encouragement, or the like:
   He clapped his friend on the back.
3. to strike (an object) against something quickly and forcefully, producing an abrupt, sharp sound, or a series of such sounds:
   to clap a book on the table.
4. to bring together forcefully (facing surfaces of the same object):
   She clapped the book shut.
5. to applaud (a performance, speech, speaker, etc.) by clapping the hands:
   The audience clapped the actors at the end of the act.
6. to put or place quickly or forcefully:
   to clap a lid on a jar; She clapped her hand over his mouth. They clapped him in jail.
7. to make or arrange hastily (often fol. by up or together).

v.i. 

8. to clap the hands, as to express approval;
   applaud:
   After the audience stopped clapping, the tenor sang two encores.
9. to make an abrupt, sharp sound, as of flat surfaces striking against one another:
   The shutters clapped in the wind.
10. to move or strike with such a sound:
    She clapped across the room in her slippers.
11. Idioms clap eyes on. See eye (def. 38).
12. clap hold of, [Naut.] to take hold of.

n. 

13. an act or instance of clapping.
14. the abrupt, sharp sound produced by clapping.
15. a resounding blow;
    slap.
16. a loud and abrupt or explosive noise, as of thunder.
17. a sudden stroke, blow, or act.
18. Nautical [Print.] clapper (def. 5).
19. [Obs.] a sudden mishap.

• 1175–1225; Middle English clappen, Old English clæppan; cognate with Middle Low German kleppen

clap²  (klap), n. [Slang] (vulgar).

1. Slang Terms gonorrhea (often prec. by the).

• akin to Middle French clapoir bubo, clapier brothel, Old Provencal clapier warren 1580–90

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

clap / klæp/ verb (claps, clapping, clapped)

1. to make or cause to make a sharp abrupt sound, as of two nonmetallic objects struck together
2. to applaud (someone or something) by striking the palms of the hands together sharply
3. (transitive) to strike (a person) lightly with an open hand, in greeting, encouragement, etc
4. (transitive) to place or put quickly or forcibly: they clapped us into jail
5. (of certain birds) to flap (the wings) noisily
6. (tr; followed by up or together) to contrive or put together hastily
7. clap eyes on ⇒ to catch sight of
8. clap hold of ⇒ to grasp suddenly or forcibly

noun

1. the sharp abrupt sound produced by striking the hands together
2. the act of clapping, esp in applause
3. a sudden sharp sound, esp of thunder
4. a light blow
5. a sudden action or mishap

Etymology: Old English clæppan; related to Old High German klepfen, Middle Dutch klape rattle, Dutch klepel clapper; all of imitative origin

clap / klæp/ noun

1. the clap ⇒
   a slang word for gonorrhoea

Etymology: 16th Century: from Old French clapoir venereal sore, from clapier brothel, from Old Provençal, from clap heap of stones, of obscure origin