Flap

Pronunciation: /flæp/

Definitions of flap

noun a thin, flat piece of something that can be moved to cover or close an opening

Example Sentences

A1 The bird's wings made a flap as it flew by.

A2 She used a flap of paper to fan herself on a hot day.

B1 The dog's tail wagged in excitement, causing a flap of dust to rise.

B2 The wind caused the tent flap to flap loudly in the night.

C1 The politician's scandal caused a media flap that lasted for weeks.

C2 The company faced a major PR flap after the data breach was made public.

verb to move up and down or from side to side with a quick, light, slapping sound

Example Sentences

A1 The bird flaps its wings to fly.

A2 She flapped the towel to get rid of the dust.

B1 He flapped the newspaper in frustration.

B2 The flag flapped in the wind as the storm approached.

C1 The politician flapped his arms in excitement during the speech.

C2 The butterfly flapped its wings gracefully as it landed on the flower.

Examples of flap in a Sentence

formal The bird's wings began to flap rapidly as it took off into the sky.

informal I saw the dog flap its ears when it heard a loud noise.

slang She started to flap when she realized she was running late.

figurative His hands began to flap in excitement as he told the story.

Grammatical Forms of flap

• past tense: flapped
• plural: flaps
• comparative: flappier
• superlative: flappiest
• present tense: flap
• future tense: will flap
• perfect tense: have flapped
• continuous tense: is flapping
• singular: flap
• positive degree: flap
• infinitive: to flap
• gerund: flapping
• participle: flapping

Origin and Evolution of flap

First Known Use: 1250 year

Language of Origin: Old English

Story behind the word: The word 'flap' originated from the Old English word 'flæppe' which meant 'a blow, stroke, or slap'.

Evolution of the word: Over time, the word 'flap' evolved to also refer to a projecting piece of material that is attached only at one edge, such as a flap on a jacket or a flap on an envelope.