the front part of the human body from the waist to the knees when in a sitting position.
the part of the clothing that lies on the front portion of the body from the waist to the knees when one sits.
a place, environment, or situation of rest or nurture: the lap of luxury.
area of responsibility, care, charge, or control: They dropped the problem right in his lap.
a hollow place, as a hollow among hills.
the front part of a skirt, especially as held up to contain something.
a part of a garment that extends over another: the lap of a coat.
a loose border or fold.
Origin of lap
1
before 900; Middle English lappe,Old English læppa; cognate with Dutch lap; akin to German lappen,Old Norse leppr rag, patch
Definition for lap (2 of 4)
lap2
[ lap ]
/ læp /
verb (used with object),lapped,lap·ping.
to fold over or around something; wrap or wind around something: to lap a bandage around one's finger.
to enwrap in something; wrap up; clothe.
to envelop or enfold: lapped in luxury.
to lay (something) partly over something underneath; lay (things) together, one partly over another; overlap.
to lie partly over (something underneath).
to get a lap or more ahead of (a competitor) in racing, as on an oval track.
to cut or polish with a lap.
to join, as by scarfing, to form a single piece with the same dimensions throughout.
to change (cotton, wool, etc.) into a compressed layer or sheet.
verb (used without object),lapped,lap·ping.
to fold or wind around something.
to lie partly over or alongside of something else.
to lie upon and extend beyond a thing; overlap.
to extend beyond a limit.
noun
the act of lapping.
the amount of material required to go around a thing once.
a complete circuit of a course in racing or in walking for exercise: to run a lap.
an overlapping part.
the extent or amount of overlapping.
a rotating wheel or disk holding an abrasive or polishing powder on its surface, used for gems, cutlery, etc.
a compressed layer or sheet of cotton, wool, or other fibrous material usually wound on an iron rod or rolled into a cylindrical form for further processing during carding.
Origin of lap
2
1250–1300; Middle English lappen to fold, wrap; cognate with Dutch lappen to patch, mend; akin to lap1
Definition for lap (3 of 4)
lap3
[ lap ]
/ læp /
verb (used with object),lapped,lap·ping.
(of water) to wash against or beat upon (something) with a light, slapping or splashing sound: Waves lapped the shoreline.
to take in (liquid) with the tongue; lick in: to lap water from a bowl.
verb (used without object),lapped,lap·ping.
to wash or move in small waves with a light, slapping or splashing sound: The water lapped gently against the mooring.
to take up liquid with the tongue; lick up a liquid.
noun
the act of lapping liquid.
the lapping of water against something.
the sound of this: the quiet lap of the sea on the rocks.
something lapped up, as liquid food for dogs.
Verb Phrases
lap up,
Informal.to receive enthusiastically: The audience lapped up his monologue.
to take in (all of a liquid) with the tongue; drink up: The cat lapped up her milk and looked for more.
Origin of lap
3
before 1000; Middle English lappen, unexplained variant of lapen,Old English lapian; cognate with Middle Low German lapen,Old High German laffan; akin to Latin lambere,Greek láptein to lick, lap