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slap

From Wiktionary, the free dictionary

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See also: sláp, șlap, and SLAP

English

Etymology

From Middle English slappen, of uncertain origin, possibly imitative. Compare Low German Slappe (“slap”), whence also German Schlappe (“defeat”). Compare also Italian sleppa (“slap”).

Pronunciation

Noun

slap (countable and uncountable, plural slaps)

  1. (countable) A blow, especially one given with the open hand, or with something broad and flat.
    Hyponym: (to the head) cuff
    He gave me a friendly slap on the back as a sign of camaraderie.
  2. (countable) A sharp percussive sound like that produced by such a blow.
    the slap of my feet on the bathroom tiles
  3. (countable, music) The percussive sound produced in slap bass playing.
    • 2019 August 15, Bob Stanley, “'Groovy, groovy, groovy': listening to Woodstock 50 years on – all 38 discs”, in The Guardian‎:
      Havens goes into the terrific Freedom for an encore, which will turn out to be a highlight of the movie; its chopped guitar and conga slaps pre-empt late 90s R&B.
  4. (slang, uncountable) Makeup; cosmetics.
    • 1997, James Gardiner, Who's a Pretty Boy Then?, page 123:
      Well, she schlumphed her Vera down the screech at a rate of knots, zhooshed up the riah, checked the slap in the mirror behind the bar, straightened up one ogle fake riah that had come adrift, and bold as brass orderlied over as fast as she could manage in those bats and, in her best lips, asked, if she could parker the omi a bevvy.
    • Quoted in 2006, Matt Houlbrook, Queer London (page 151)
      If you had too much slap on when you went out . . . your mates say too much slap on your ecaf. Yeah. Oh really girl? Yes . . . Go in the lavs here and have a look.
  5. (slang, countable) An eye-catching sticker used in street art.
    • 2019, Saskia Hufnagel, Duncan Chappell, The Palgrave Handbook on Art Crime, page 859:
      […] which seek to retake public space for their own expression, using graffiti, stickering, 'slaps' and street art to dissent from the commercialisation of the public sphere.

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

slap (third-person singular simple present slaps, present participle slapping, simple past and past participle slapped)

  1. (transitive) To strike someone, typically with an open hand, often on the face.
    Hyponym: (to the head) cuff
    She slapped him in response to the insult.
  2. (transitive) To cause something to strike soundly.
    He slapped the reins against the horse's back.
  3. (intransitive) To strike soundly against something.
    The rain slapped against the window-panes.
  4. (intransitive, stative, slang) To be excellent, especially when relating to music.
    Synonyms: bang, eat, rule, rock; see also Thesaurus:excel
    The band's new single slaps.
    • 2019, “Glass Battles”, in PT Music Watch, number 1, page 35:
      There are some cinematic elements, but at the end of the day, the album fucking slaps.
    • 2019 April, Gloria Perez, “Your Things”, in Your Mag, page 74:
      Also I will never get tired of the song "Motion Sickness" by Phoebe Bridgers. Shit slaps.
    • 2019 November, Elly Watson, “The Great 2019 Debate”, in DIY, page 59:
      2016's 'Girls Like Me' still slaps to this day.
    • For more quotations using this term, see Citations:slap.
  5. (transitive) To place, to put carelessly.
    We'd better slap some fresh paint on that wall.
    • 2018, “The Secret Ceramics Room of Secrets”, in Bob's Burgers:
      Louise Belcher: "On Monday there was supposed to be some big schoolboard inspection or something, so instead of cleaning the place up, what does the principal do? He panics. He and the janitor and the janitor's brother slap a wall where the door used to be."
      Gene Belcher: "Wall slap."
  6. (transitive, informal, figurative) To impose a penalty, etc. on (someone).
    I was slapped with a parking fine.
    • 2025 November 27, “Swiss to vote on compulsory civic duty for all”, in France24 News‎:
      As part of Switzerland's direct democratic system, voters will also be weighing in on whether to slap new taxes on the super-rich to help finance the country's effort against climate change.
  7. (transitive, informal) To play slap bass on (an instrument).
    • 2007, Jon Paulien, The Gospel from Patmos:
      With no drums, Black began slapping his bass to keep time while Moore's guitar leaped in and out of the melody line.

Derived terms

Translations

Adverb

slap (not comparable)

  1. Exactly, precisely
    He tossed the file down slap in the middle of the table.
    • 1881–1882, Robert Louis Stevenson, Treasure Island, London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 14 November 1883, →OCLC:
      You just take my orders, Cap’n Hawkins, and we’ll sail slap in and be done with it.
    • 1864, Tony Pastor, John F. Poole, Tony Pastor's Complete Budget of Comic Songs, page 63:
      They called the tom-cat to the trap, / Who molrowed as he smelt at the door, O— / Opened his mouth and swallowed him slap, / All the while most profanely he swore, O!

Synonyms

Derived terms

Translations

Adjective

slap (comparative more slap, superlative most slap)

  1. (slang, UK) Very good, excellent, amazing.
    These cookies are slap.

See also

Anagrams

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