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View synonyms for slap

slap

1

[ slap ]

noun

  1. a sharp blow or smack, especially with the open hand or with something flat.
  2. a sound made by or as if by such a blow or smack:

    the slap of the waves against the dock.

  3. a sharply worded or sarcastic rebuke or comment.


verb (used with object)

, slapped, slap·ping.
  1. to strike sharply, especially with the open hand or with something flat.
  2. to bring (the hand, something flat, etc.) with a sharp blow against something.
  3. to dash or cast forcibly:

    He slapped the package against the wall.

  4. to put or place promptly and sometimes haphazardly (often followed by on ):

    The officer slapped a ticket on the car. He slapped mustard on the sandwich.

adverb

  1. Informal. directly; straight; smack:

    The tug rammed slap into the side of the freighter.

verb phrase

    1. to subdue, especially by a blow or by force; suppress.
    2. to reject, oppose, or criticize sharply:

      to slap down dissenting voices.

slap

2

[ slap ]

noun

  1. a gap or opening, as in a fence, wall, cloud bank, or line of troops.
  2. a mountain pass.
  3. a wound or gash.

verb (used with object)

, slapped, slap·ping.
  1. to make a gap or opening in; breach.

slap

/ slæp /

noun

  1. a sharp blow or smack, as with the open hand, something flat, etc
  2. the sound made by or as if by such a blow
  3. a sharp rebuke; reprimand
  4. a bit of slap and tickle informal.
    a bit of slap and tickleslap and tickle sexual play
  5. a slap in the face
    a slap in the face an insult or rebuff
  6. a slap on the back
    a slap on the back congratulation
  7. a slap on the wrist
    a slap on the wrist a light punishment or reprimand


verb

  1. tr to strike (a person or thing) sharply, as with the open hand or something flat
  2. tr to bring down (the hand, something flat, etc) sharply
  3. whenintr, usually foll by against to strike (something) with or as if with a slap
  4. informal.
    tr to apply in large quantities, haphazardly, etc

    she slapped butter on the bread

  5. slap on the back
    slap on the back to congratulate

adverb

  1. exactly; directly

    slap on time

  2. forcibly or abruptly

    to fall slap on the floor

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Derived Forms

  • ˈslapper, noun

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Other Words From

  • slapper noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of slap1

First recorded in 1625–35; from Low German slapp(e); of expressive origin

Origin of slap2

First recorded in 1400–50; Middle English slop(e) “inroad made into enemy ranks,” from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German; cognate with German Schlupf “hiding place”

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Word History and Origins

Origin of slap1

C17: from Low German slapp, German Schlappe, of imitative origin

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Idioms and Phrases

Idioms
  1. slap on the wrist, relatively mild criticism or censure:

    He got away with a slap on the wrist.

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Synonym Study

See blow 1.

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Example Sentences

Up and down the plane I heard the slap of blinders yanked down over the windows while the rest of us eagerly took in the view.

“Now get on your knees and crawl,” he demanded with the slap of a leather horse crop against the palm of his hand.

While that might just seem like a slap on the wrist compared to the cost of insurance, the penalty increases every year.

Queen Raina of Jordan also spoke, calling the refugee crisis in Syria “a slap in the face of humanity.”

Sometimes a great movie line has the impact of a slap in the face.

"Slap your saddles on them fresh hosses," he grated harshly from the back of a deep-chested, lean-flanked gray.

Slap through the town, whispered Sikes; therell be nobody in the way to-night to see us.

Black Hood let the clutch slap in and the roadster bounded back onto the tarvia drive.

This was too direct a slap at Elmer Spiker to pass unnoticed; Elmer was too old an arguer to use any ponderous weapon in return.

The man probably never knew exactly when the floor came up to slap the back of his lap.

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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.

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