slap

English

Etymology

FromMiddle Englishslappen,of uncertain origin, possiblyimitative.CompareLow GermanSlappe(“slap”),whence alsoGermanSchlappe(“defeat”).Compare alsoItaliansleppa(“slap”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/slæp/
• Rhymes:-æp

• Audio(Canada):

  (file)

Noun

slap(countableanduncountable,pluralslaps)

1. (countable)Ablow,especially one given with the open hand, or with something broad and flat.

   He gave me a friendlyslapon the back as a sign ofcamaraderie.

2. (countable)A sharp percussive sound like that produced by such a blow.

   theslapof my feet on the bathroom tiles

3. (countable,music)The percussive sound produced inslap bassplaying.
   • 2019August 15, Bob Stanley, “'Groovy, groovy, groovy': listening to Woodstock 50 years on – all 38 discs”, inThe Guardian‎^[1]:

     Havens goes into the terrific Freedom for an encore, which will turn out to be a highlight of the movie; its chopped guitar and congaslapspre-empt late 90s R&B.

4. (slang,uncountable)Makeup;cosmetics.
   • 1997,James Gardiner,Who's a Pretty Boy Then?,page123:

     Well, sheschlumphedher Vera down thescreechat a rate ofknots,zhooshedup theriah,checked theslapin the mirror behind the bar, straightened up oneoglefake riah that had come adrift, andbold as brassorderliedover as fast as she could manage in thosebatsand, in her best lips, asked, if she couldparkertheomiabevvy.

   • Quoted in2006,Matt Houlbrook,Queer London(page 151)

     If you had too muchslapon when you went out... your mates say too muchslapon yourecaf.Yeah. Oh really girl? Yes... Go in the lavs here and have a look.

5. (slang,countable)Aneye-catchingstickerused instreet art.
   • 2019,Saskia Hufnagel, Duncan Chappell,The Palgrave Handbook on Art Crime,page859:

     […]which seek to retake public space for their own expression, using graffiti, stickering, 'slaps'and street art to dissent from the commercialisation of the public sphere.

Hyponyms

• cuff

Derived terms

• back slap
• back-slapping
• bitch-slap
• bitch slap
• butt-slapping
• chain slap
• dickslap
• dope slap
• go slap off on
• happy slap
• happy slapping
• Iberian slap
• knee-slapping
• pimp slap
• pimp-slap
• slap and tickle
• slap-back
• slap bet
• slap bracelet
• slapdown
• slap fight
• slaphappy
• slap-headed
• slap in the face
• slap mark
• slap marker
• slap on the arm
• slap on the back
• slap on the hand
• slap on the wrist
• slap print
• slap shot
• slap skate
• thigh-slapping
• tight slap
• trout-slap
• trout slap
• turkey slap

Translations

A blow dealt with the open hand

• Albanian:shputë(sq),shuplakë(sq),dackë(sq)
• Arabic:صَفْعَة(ṣafʕa),لَطْمَة(laṭma)

  Egyptian Arabic:قلمm(ʔalam),كشافm(kaʃæːff),كفm(kaff),اقلامfpl(ʔeʔlæːm)

  Gulf Arabic:سطار,صطار(ṣṭār),كف(kaf)

  Hijazi Arabic:كَفّm(kaff)

  Moroccan Arabic:طرشةf(ṭarša)

• Armenian:(in the face)ապտակ(hy)(aptak),(in the face, dialectal)չափալախ(hy)(čʻapʻalax),(in the face, dialectal)սիլլա(hy)(silla)
• Assamese:চৰ(sor),থাপৰ(thapor)
• Azerbaijani:şapalaq
• Bikol Central:sapak(bcl)
• Bulgarian:плесникm(plesnik),плесница(bg)(plesnica),шамар(bg)m(šamar)
• Catalan:bufetada(ca)f
• Chinese:

  Mandarin:Đánh ra／Đánh ra(zh)(pāijí),Cái tát(zh)(ěrguāng)(slap on the face)

• Coptic:ⲁⲁⲥf(ɑsˤ)(Sahidic),ⲁⲥf(ɑsˤ)(Sahidic)
• Czech:facka(cs)f
• Danish:lussing(da)c
• Dutch:mep(nl)f,klets(nl)f
• Esperanto:manfrapo
• Estonian:hoop(et),löök,kõrvakiil(on the face)
• Finnish:läimäys(fi),läimäytys,läpsäys(fi),läpsy(fi),läpsäytys(fi)
• French:claque(fr)f(slap on the face),fessée(fr)f(slap on the bum),gifle(fr)f(slap on the face)
• Galician:lapote(gl)m,labazada(gl)f,lufiadaf,sopapo(gl)m,bofetadaf,cachetem
• German:Klaps(de)m,Schlag(de)m
• Greek:χαστούκι(el)n(chastoúki),σφαλιάρα(el)f(sfaliára)

  Ancient:ῥάπισμαn(rhápisma),ἀλάπηf(alápē),κόλαφοςm(kólaphos)

• Haitian Creole:kalotn
• Hebrew:סְטִירָה(he)(s'tira)
• Hindi:चांटा(cāṇṭā),चाँटा(hi)(cā̃ṭā),थप्पड़(hi)m(thappaṛ),झापड़m(jhāpaṛ),चपेट(hi)m(capeṭ),तमाचा(hi)m(tamācā),लाफाm(lāphā),चपत(hi)m(capat),रहपट(hi)m(rahpaṭ)
• Hungarian:csapás(hu),ütés(hu),(in the face)pofon(hu),arculcsapás(hu),arculütés(hu)
• Indonesian:tamparan(id)
• Irish:boiseogf
• Italian:schiaffo(it)m,ceffone(it)m,sberla(it)f
• Japanese:Ngang tay đánh ち(ja)(ひらてうち, hirateuchi),ビンタ(ja)(binta)(slang, usually referring to a slap on the face)
• Kurdish:

  Central Kurdish:زلە(zle),چەپۆک(ckb)(çepok)

• Kyrgyz:токот(tokot),шапалак(ky)(şapalak)
• Latin:alapaf
• Luhya:ekofi
• Macedonian:шамарm(šamar),шлаканицаf(šlakanica)
• Mazanderani:لپاسه(lapāse)
• Norman:charaboustef,cliamusef(in the face),cliaquef(in the face),gifl'yef,girnouffl'yef,mornifl'yef,nord-êtm,paffef,talmousef
• Norwegian:ørefikm,en over kjeften
• Persian:سیلی(phát)(sili)
• Polish:klaps(pl)m,klepnięcien,policzek(pl)m
• Portuguese:palmada(pt)f,estalo(pt)m,tapa(pt)m,bofetada(pt)f,chapada(pt)f,tabefe(pt)m
• Russian:шлепо́к(ru)m(šlepók),пощёчина(ru)f(poščóčina)(slap on the face),оплеу́ха(ru)f(opleúxa)(slap on the face),затре́щина(ru)f(zatréščina)(slap on the face)
• Sicilian:boffa(scn)f,timpuluni(scn)m,timpulata(scn)f
• Slovene:klofuta(sl)f
• Spanish:bofetada(es)f,cachetada(es)f(harder slap),guantadaf,bofetón(es)m(harder slap),guantazo(es)m,bife(es)m,cachete(es)m,manotazo(es)m,manotadaf,manazo(es)m
• Swahili:kibare(sw),kibao(sw)
• Swedish:örfil(sv)c,hurring(sv)c,käftsmäll(sv)c
• Tagalog:sampal
• Turkish:sille(tr),tokat(tr),şaplak(tr),şamar(tr)
• Ukrainian:ля́пасm(ljápas)
• Urdu:چانٹا(cā̃ṭā)
• Volapük:(diminutive)flapil(vo)
• Walloon:berlafe(wa)f,tchofe(wa)f,bafe(wa)f,ratournêye(wa)f,racatoirtcheye(wa)f

The sound of such a blow.

• Finnish:läpsähdys(fi),läpsäys(fi),räpsähdys(fi)
• Russian:шлепо́к(ru)m(šlepók),хлопо́к(ru)m(xlopók)
• Spanish:bofetada(es)f,cachetada(es)f
• Swahili:kibare(sw)

Makeup, cosmetics.

• Bulgarian:грим(bg)m(grim)
• German:Makeupn,Schminke(de)f
• Russian:штукату́рка(ru)f(štukatúrka)

Verb

slap(third-person singular simple presentslaps,present participleslapping,simple past and past participleslapped)

1. (transitive)To give a slap to.

   Sheslappedhim in response to the insult.

   • 1922October 26,Virginia Woolf,chapter 1, inJacob’s Room,Richmond, London:[…]Leonard& Virginia Woolf at theHogarth Press,→OCLC;republished London: The Hogarth Press,1960,→OCLC:

     Mrs. Flanders rose,slappedher coat this side and that to get the sand off, and picked up her black parasol.

2. (transitive)To cause something to strike soundly.

   Heslappedthe reins against the horse's back.

3. (intransitive)To strike soundly against something.

   The rainslappedagainst the window-panes.

4. (intransitive,stative,slang)To beexcellent,especially when relating to music.

   Synonyms:bang,eat,rule,rock

   The band's new singleslaps.

   • 2019,“Glass Battles”,inPT Music Watch,number 1, page35:

     There are some cinematic elements, but at the end of the day, the album fuckingslaps.

   • 2019April, Gloria Perez, “Your Things”,inYour Mag,page74:

     Also I will never get tired of the song "Motion Sickness" by Phoebe Bridgers. Shitslaps.

   • 2019November, Elly Watson, “The Great 2019 Debate”,inDIY,page59:

     2016's 'Girls Like Me' stillslapsto this day.

   • For more quotations using this term, seeCitations:slap.
5. (transitive)To place, to put carelessly.

   We'd betterslapsome fresh paint on that wall.

   • 2018,“The Secret Ceramics Room of Secrets”, inBob's Burgers:

     Louise Belcher: "On Monday there was supposed to be some big schoolboard inspection or something, so instead of cleaning the place up, what does the principal do? He panics. He and the janitor and the janitor's brotherslapa wall where the door used to be. "
     Gene Belcher: "Wallslap."

6. (transitive,informal,figurative)Toimposea penalty, etc. on (someone).

   I wasslappedwith a parking fine.

7. (transitive,informal)To playslap basson (an instrument).
   • 2007,Jon Paulien,The Gospel from Patmos:

     With no drums, Black beganslappinghis bass to keep time while Moore's guitar leaped in and out of the melody line.

Hyponyms

• cuff

Derived terms

• slap bellies
• slap down
• slap leather
• slap my ass and call me Judy
• slap my ass and call me Sally
• slapper
• slap someone around
• slap someone five
• slap someone's wrist
• slap together
• slap-up
• wrist-slap

Translations

to give a slap

• Albanian:backos(sq)
• Arabic:صَفَعَ(ṣafaʕa),لَطَمَ(laṭama)

  Egyptian Arabic:كفخ(kafax),لطش(lɑtˤɑʃ),رزع(razaʕ),رقع(raʔaʕ),ضرب(dˤɑrɑb),ناول(nawel),سفخ(safax),هت(hatt),هف(haff)

  Hijazi Arabic:أعطى كف(ʔaʕṭa kaff),صَفَق(ṣafag),رقع(ragaʕ),لطش(laṭaš),لطم(laṭam)(to slap one’s self)

• Armenian:ապտակել(hy)(aptakel),չափալախել(hy)(čʻapʻalaxel)(dialectal)
• Assamese:চৰিওৱা(soriüa)
• Azerbaijani:şapalaqlamaq
• Basque:aurpegian jo
• Bikol Central:sapak(bcl)
• Bulgarian:шляпвам(bg)(šljapvam),зашлевявам(zašlevjavam)
• Catalan:bufetejar(ca)
• Cherokee:ᎠᏏᏛᏂᎭ(asidvniha)
• Chinese:

  Mandarin:Tát tai／Tát tai(zh)(zhǎngguāi)

• Dutch:meppen(nl),kletsen(nl)
• Esperanto:vangofrapi
• Finnish:läimäyttää(fi),läpsäyttää,läpäyttää,läpsäistä(fi)
• French:gifler(fr)(slap in the face),fesser(fr)(slap on the bum)
• Georgian:please add this translation if you can
• German:klatschen(de),(leicht)schlagen(de),patschen(de),ohrfeigen(de)
• Gothic:𐌺𐌰𐌿𐍀𐌰𐍄𐌾𐌰𐌽(kaupatjan)
• Greek:χαστουκίζω(el)(chastoukízo),σφαλιαρίζω(el)(sfaliarízo)

  Ancient:ῥαπίζω(rhapízō)

• Hungarian:pofon vág,képen töröl,arcul üt,arcul csap
• Ido:frapar(io)
• Indonesian:menampar(id)
• Ingrian:iskiä,löövvä,peeksää,tappaa,kleittää,issuttaa,napsuttaa,kommia
• Italian:schiaffeggiare(it),colpire(it),dare una pacca a
• Japanese:ひっぱたく(ja),Ngang tay đánh ち(ja)する(ja)
• Khmer:ទះ(km)(teah),ទះកំផ្លៀង(teah kɑmplieŋ)
• Kurdish:

  Central Kurdish:زلە لێدان(zle lêdan),چەپۆک لێدان(çepok lêdan)

• Latin:depalmo,alapamdō
• Maori:taupaki,pāhia
• Mongolian:please add this translation if you can
• Norman:charbousseter,cliaper,cliatchi,cliamûser
• Norwegian:fike,slå(no)
• Persian:سیلی زدن(sili zadan)
• Portuguese:esbofetear(pt),dar um tapa
• Quechua:ch'aqlay
• Russian:шлёпать(ru)impf(šljópatʹ),шлёпнуть(ru)pf(šljópnutʹ),дава́тьпощёчинуimpf(davátʹ poščóčinu),датьпощёчинуpf(datʹ poščóčinu)(to slap somebody's face)
• Spanish:abofetear(es),cachetear(es),lapear(Bolivia),bofetear(America),guantear(es),manotear(es)
• Swedish:smälla till
• Thai:please add this translation if you can
• Turkish:tokatlamak(tr),vurmak(tr),şamarlamak(tr),sille atmak,aşk etmek(tr)
• Vietnamese:tát(vi),vỗ(vi),vả(vi)
• Volapük:flapilön

to cause something to strike soundly

• Finnish:mätkäyttää(fi),läpsäistä(fi),mätkäistä
• Italian:sbattere(it)
• Spanish:golpear(es)
• Turkish:pat diye ses çıkarmak

To place, to put carelessly

• Dutch:neerkwakken(nl)
• Finnish:lyödä(fi),mätkäyttää(fi),roiskia(fi)
• Italian:sbattere(it),scaraventare(it)
• Spanish:aventar(es)

Adverb

slap(notcomparable)

1. Exactly,precisely

   He tossed the file downslapin the middle of the table.

   • 1881–1882,Robert Louis Stevenson,Treasure Island,London; Paris:Cassell & Company,published 14 November 1883,→OCLC:

     You just take my orders, Cap’n Hawkins, and we’ll sailslapin and be done with it.

   • 1864,Tony Pastor, John F. Poole,Tony Pastor's Complete Budget of Comic Songs,page63:

     They called the tom-cat to the trap, / Whomolrowedas he smelt at the door, O— / Opened his mouth and swallowed himslap,/ All the while most profanely he swore, O!

Synonyms

• just,right,slap bang,smack dab;see alsoThesaurus:exactly

Derived terms

• slap-bang

Translations

exactly

• Bulgarian:точно(bg)(točno),направо(bg)(napravo)
• Spanish:justo(es)n

Adjective

slap(comparativemoreslap,superlativemostslap)

1. (slang,UK)Verygood,excellent,amazing.

   These cookies areslap.

See also

• slap chip(etymologically unrelated)

Anagrams

• salp,alps,ASPL,Alps,APLS,Plas,PALs,pals,ALPs,Pals,PLAs,laps,PALS,LPAs,SPLA,APLs

Czech

Etymology

InheritedfromProto-Slavic*solpъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):[ˈslap]

Noun

slapminan

1. (dated)rapid,shoot,chute,fall

Declension

Declension ofslap(hard masculine inanimate)

	singular	plural
nominative	slap	slapy
genitive	slapu	slapů
dative	slapu	slapům
accusative	slap	slapy
vocative	slape	slapy
locative	slapu	slapech
instrumental	slapem	slapy

Further reading

• “slap”,inPříruční slovník jazyka českého(in Czech),1935–1957
• “slap”,inSlovník spisovného jazyka českého(in Czech),1960–1971, 1989
• “slap”,inInternetová jazyková příručka(in Czech)

Danish

Pronunciation

• Rhymes:-ap

Etymology 1

FromMiddle Low Germanslap,fromProto-Germanic*slap-,perhaps ultimately fromProto-Indo-European*(s)leh₂b-(“to be weak, limp, languid”),see alsoLatinlabō(“fluctuate, waver”).

Adjective

slap

1. loose
2. limp
3. slack
4. weak(muscles)
5. flaccid
6. lax

Inflection

Inflection ofslap

	positive	comparative	superlative
indefinite common singular	slap	slappere	slappest2
indefinite neuter singular	slapt	slappere	slappest2
plural	slappe	slappere	slappest2
definite attributive1	slappe	slappere	slappeste

¹When an adjective is applied predicatively to something definite,
the corresponding "indefinite" form is used.
²The "indefinite" superlatives may not be used attributively.

Etymology 2

See the etymology of the correspondinglemmaform.

Verb

slap

1. pastofslippe

References

• “slap”inDen Danske Ordbog

Dutch

Etymology

FromMiddle Dutchslap,fromProto-Germanic*slap-,perhaps ultimately fromProto-Indo-European*(s)leh₂b-(“to be weak, limp, languid”),see alsoLatinlabō(“fluctuate, waver”).Cognate withGermanschlaffandschlapp.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/slɑp/

• Audio:

  (file)

• Hyphenation:slap
• Rhymes:-ɑp

Adjective

slap(comparativeslapper,superlativeslapst)

1. slack
2. weak

Declension

Declension ofslap
uninflected	slap
inflected	slappe
comparative	slapper
		positive	comparative	superlative
predicative/adverbial		slap	slapper	hetslapst hetslapste
indefinite	m./f.sing.	slappe	slappere	slapste
	n.sing.	slap	slapper	slapste
	plural	slappe	slappere	slapste
definite		slappe	slappere	slapste
partitive		slaps	slappers	—

Derived terms

• slapheid
• slapjanus
• slappeling
• slapperik
• slapte
• verslappen

Descendants

• →Papiamentu:slap

Anagrams

• plas

Old Saxon

Etymology

FromProto-West Germanic*slāp.CompareOld Englishslǣp,Old High Germanslāf.

Noun

slāpm

1. sleep

Declension

Declension ofslāp(masculine a-stem)

	singular	plural
nominative	slāp	slāpos
accusative	slāp	slāpos
genitive	slāpes	slāpō
dative	slāpe	slāpum
instrumental	—	—

Scots

Noun

slap(pluralslaps)

1. A gap in a fence.
   • 1790,Robert Burns,Tam o' Shanter:

     The mosses, waters,slapsand stiles, / That lie between us and our hame

     (pleaseadd an English translationof this quotation)

2. A narrow cleft between hills.

Verb

slap

1. (transitive)To break an opening in.

Serbo-Croatian

Etymology

InheritedfromProto-Slavic*solpъ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/slâːp/

Noun

slȃpm(Cyrillic spellingсла̑п)

1. (geology)waterfall

Declension

Declension ofslap

	singular	plural
nominative	slȃp	slápovi
genitive	slapa	slapova
dative	slapu	slapovima
accusative	slap	slapove
vocative	slape	slapovi
locative	slapu	slapovima
instrumental	slapom	slapovima

References

• “slap”,inHrvatski jezični portal[Croatian language portal] (in Serbo-Croatian),2006–2024

Slovene

Alternative forms

• ſlap(Bohorič Alpha bet)

Etymology

FromProto-Slavic*solpъ,fromProto-Balto-Slavic*salpás,probably fromProto-Indo-European*sel-.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/sláːp/
• Rhymes:-aːp
• Hyphenation:slap
• Homophone:slab

Noun

slȃpminan

1. (geology)waterfall

   Synonym:vodopad

2. (by extension)a large amount of something falling or curvingdownwards
3. (obsoleteorregional)wave^{[→Snoj, 2016]}

   Synonyms:val,prival,valček

4. (obsolete)storm^{[→Pleteršnik, 2014]}

   Synonyms:nevihta,divja jaga

5. (obsolete)vapor^{[→Pleteršnik, 2014]}

   Synonym:hlap

6. (obsolete,Prekmurje Slovene)gale,storm^{[→Novak, 2014]}

   Synonyms:veter,brisavica,vetrc,vetrček,vetrič,vetriček

Declension

First masculine declension (hard o-stem, inanimate, -ov- infix), long mixed accent, ending -u in genitive singular
nom. sing.	slȃp
gen. sing.	slapȗ
	singular	dual	plural
nominative imenovȃlnik	slȃp	slapȏva	slapȏvi
genitive rodȋlnik	slapȗ	slapóv	slapóv
dative dajȃlnik	slȃpu,slȃpi	slapȏvoma,slapȏvama	slapȏvom,slȃpȏvam
accusative tožȋlnik	slȃp	slapȏva	slapȏve
locative mẹ̑stnik	slȃpu,slȃpi	slapȏvih	slapȏvih
instrumental orọ̑dnik	slȃpom	slapȏvoma,slapȏvama	slapȏvi
(vocative) (ogȏvorni imenovȃlnik)	slȃp	slapȏva	slapȏvi

First masculine declension (hard o-stem, inanimate), fixed accent
nom. sing.	slȃp
gen. sing.	slȃpa
	singular	dual	plural
nominative imenovȃlnik	slȃp	slȃpa	slȃpi
genitive rodȋlnik	slȃpa	slȃpov	slȃpov
dative dajȃlnik	slȃpu,slȃpi	slȃpoma,slȃpama	slȃpom,slȃpam
accusative tožȋlnik	slȃp	slȃpa	slȃpe
locative mẹ̑stnik	slȃpu,slȃpi	slȃpih,slȃpah	slȃpih,slȃpah
instrumental orọ̑dnik	slȃpom	slȃpoma,slȃpama	slȃpi
(vocative) (ogȏvorni imenovȃlnik)	slȃp	slȃpa	slȃpi

Derived terms

• Slap
• Slap ob Idrijci
• Slapčȃn
• Slȃpčanka
• Slápənc
• slápənski
• Slapnik
• slȃpnik
• slȃpski

See also

• reka(“river”)
• previs(“cliff”)

Further reading

• “slap”,inSlovarji Inštituta za slovenski jezik Frana Ramovša ZRC SAZU,portal Fran
• “slap”,inTermania,Amebis
• See also thegeneral references

Spanish

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key):/esˈlap/[esˈlap]
• Rhymes:-ap

Noun

slapm(pluralslaps)

1. (Peru)flip-flop,thong(Australia),jandal(New Zealand)

   Synonyms:bamba,chancla,(Venezuela)chola,(Argentina)ojota,(Peru)sayonara

Tày

Pronunciation

• (Thạch An–Tràng Định)IPA^(key):[ɬaːp̚˧˥]
• (Trùng Khánh)IPA^(key):[θaːp̚˦]

Etymology 1

FromProto-Tai*saːpᴰ.

Noun

slap

1. cockroach

Etymology 2

Adverb

slap

1. in a quietwhispery,breathy,hushedvoice

   phuốislapvạ căn―towhispereach other

References

• Hoàng Văn Ma, Lục Văn Pảo, Hoàng Chí (2006)Từ điển Tày-Nùng-Việt[Tay-Nung-Vietnamese dictionary] (in Vietnamese), Hanoi: Nhà xuất bản Từ điển Bách khoa Hà Nội