clap
- 01 A2 Elementary
v.to hit your open hands together several times to show you liked a performance or agree with someone.
v.to strike the palms of the hands together repeatedly as a gesture of applause or approval.
Simple“The audience started to clap as soon as the singer finished the last note.”
In context“The crowd began to clap rhythmically, demanding an encore after the orchestra delivered a flawless rendition of the symphony.”
- 02 B1 Intermediate
v.to bring two things together quickly and loudly, like hands or books.
v.to bring two surfaces together forcefully to produce a sharp, percussive sound.
Simple“He clapped his hands to get the children's attention in the noisy playground.”
In context“She clapped the heavy ledger shut, sending a small cloud of dust into the air of the dimly lit archive.”
- 03 B2 Upper Intermediate
n.a single, sudden, and very loud noise of thunder.
n.a sudden, explosive auditory discharge of thunder.
Simple“A sudden clap of thunder made everyone jump during the picnic.”
In context“The silence of the valley was shattered by a deafening clap of thunder that echoed off the surrounding granite cliffs.”
- 04 C1 Advanced
n.a common illness passed through sex.
n.a colloquial and historically derogatory term for the sexually transmitted infection gonorrhea.
Simple“He had to go to the clinic because he thought he caught the clap.”
In context“Public health posters from the mid-twentieth century often used blunt language regarding the clap to warn soldiers about the risks of untreated infections.”
UsageAlways used with the definite article 'the'.
Teacher's tipThis is a very informal and potentially insensitive term; students should use the medical name in professional or serious contexts.
Synonyms - 05 C1 Advanced
v.to put someone or something somewhere very quickly or suddenly.
v.to place, set, or imprison someone or something with suddenness or force.
Simple“The guards were ordered to clap the prisoner in irons.”
In context“The authorities decided to clap the protesters into custody before the demonstration could escalate into a full-scale riot.”
UsageOften used with 'in' or 'into', especially regarding prison or chains.
“I t hit me like a thunder clap.”
From Middle English clappen, from Old English clæppan, clappian, from Proto-West Germanic klappijan, klappōn, from Proto-Germanic klappōną (“to clap”). Cognate with Dutch klappen, Icelandic klappa, Faroese klappa and Danish klappe.
Uncertain. Probably from Old French clapoir (“bubo, inflammation from infection”), from clapier (“brothel”). May also be from old, unsafe treatments for gonorrhea, such as clapping the penis between a book and a hard surface to break up obstructions in the urethra and permit urination. Attested from the 16th century.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.