flap Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun any broad thin and limber covering attached at one edge; hangs loose or projects freely
    • he wrote on the flap of the envelope
  2. noun an excited state of agitation
    pother; tizzy; fuss; dither.
    • he was in a dither
    • there was a terrible flap about the theft
  3. noun the motion made by flapping up and down
    flutter; fluttering; flapping.
  4. noun a movable piece of tissue partly connected to the body
  5. noun a movable airfoil that is part of an aircraft wing; used to increase lift or drag
    flaps.
  6. verb move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion
    wave; undulate; roll.
    • The curtains undulated
    • the waves rolled towards the beach
  7. verb move noisily
    • flags flapped in the strong wind
  8. verb move with a thrashing motion
    beat.
    • The bird flapped its wings
    • The eagle beat its wings and soared high into the sky
  9. verb move with a flapping motion
    beat.
    • The bird's wings were flapping
  10. verb make a fuss; be agitated
    pother; dither.
  11. verb pronounce with a flap, of alveolar sounds

WordNet

Flap noun
Etymology
OE. flappe, flap, blow, bly-flap; cf. D. flap, and E. flap, v.
Definitions
  1. Anything broad and limber that hangs loose, or that is attached by one side or end and is easily moved; as, the flap of a garment.
    A cartilaginous flap upon the opening of the larynx. Sir T. Browne.
  2. A hinged leaf, as of a table or shutter.
  3. The motion of anything broad and loose, or a stroke or sound made with it; as, the flap of a sail or of a wing.
  4. pl. (Far.) A disease in the lips of horses.
Flap transitive verb
Etymology
Prob. of imitative origin; cf. D. flappen, E. flap, n., flop, flippant, fillip.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Flapped ; present participle & verbal noun Flapping
Definitions
  1. To beat with a flap; to strike.
    Yet let me flap this bug with gilded wings. Pope.
  2. To move, as something broad and flaplike; as, to flap the wings; to let fall, as the brim of a hat. W. Cartwright.
Flap intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To move as do wings, or as something broad or loose; to fly with wings beating the air.
    The crows flapped over by twos and threes. Lowell.
  2. To fall and hang like a flap, as the brim of a hat, or other broad thing. Gay.

Webster 1913