to strike the palms of (one's hands) against one another resoundingly, and usually repeatedly, especially to express approval: She clapped her hands in appreciation.
to strike (someone) amicably with a light, open-handed slap, as in greeting, encouragement, or the like: He clapped his friend on the back.
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.
to bring together forcefully (facing surfaces of the same object): She clapped the book shut.
to applaud (a performance, speech, speaker, etc.) by clapping the hands: The audience clapped the actors at the end of the act.
to put or place quickly or forcefully: Can you clap a lid on that jar? She clapped her hand over his mouth.They clapped him in jail.
to make or arrange hastily (often followed by together or up): He clapped together dinner from stuff in the pantry and leftovers from the fridge.
verb (used without object),clapped,clap·ping.
to clap the hands, as to express approval; applaud: After the audience stopped clapping, the tenor sang two encores.
to make an abrupt, sharp sound, as of flat surfaces striking against one another: The shutters clapped in the wind.
to move or strike with such a sound: She clapped across the room in her slippers.
noun
an act or instance of clapping.
the abrupt, sharp sound produced by clapping.
a resounding blow; slap.
a loud and abrupt or explosive noise, as of thunder.
a sudden stroke, blow, or act.
Printing. clapper (def. 5).
Obsolete. a sudden mishap.
Verb Phrases
clap back,Slang. See entry at clapback.
Idioms for clap
clap eyes on. eye (def. 42).
clap hold of, Nautical. to take hold of.
Origin of clap
1
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English clappen, Old English clæppan; cognate with Middle Low German kleppen