Definition Synonyms
Definition of flapping - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
motionthe act of moving up and down quickly
- The bird's flapping was loud and rhythmic.
2.
phonologyTECH. US phonological process where /t/ and /d/ become [ɾ]TECH. US
- Flapping occurs in words like 'butter' and 'ladder'.
3.
technologyRare situation where availability changes rapidlyRare
- Network flapping caused the connection to drop intermittently.
Adjective
1.
motionmoving back and forth with a flapping motion
- The flapping flag could be seen from far away.
2.
wing motionmoving with quick wing-like motions
- I heard flapping outside the window.
Expressions with flapping
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cease moving wings or arms up and down
The bird needs to stop flapping to rest.
Origin of flapping
English, flap (move) + -ing (suffix)
Terms with flapping included in their meaning
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sound
sudden noise or movement from flapping
movement
move downwards with a flapping motion
motion
affected by a flapping motion or effect
movement
move with repeated flapping sounds
sound
repeated flapping or banging noise
movement
streaming or flapping in the air
movement
with a repeated flapping movement or sound
sailing
having the sails flapping due to wind direction
Examples of flapping in a sentence
I could hear the flapping of the sails from afar. In American English, flapping is quite common. Flapping can change the sound of certain words. Server flapping led to unexpected downtime during peak hours. The IT team struggled with flapping issues all morning. Her flapping wings startled the other birds.
The plumed hat had flapping ribbons in the wind. The flapping flags signaled the storm's approach. She watched the flapping gulls dive for fish.
View all translations of flapping
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:battement, battant, ...
- German:Flattern, flatternd, ...
- Italian:battito, svolazzante, ...
- Spanish:aleteo, ondeante, ...
- Portuguese:agitar, esvoaçante, ...
- Chinese:拍打, 拍动的, ...
- Japanese:羽ばたき, はためく, ...
- Arabic:خَفْق, مُرَفْرِف, ...
- Hebrew:נִפְנוּף, מִתְנַפֵּף, ...
- Russian:взмахи, хлопающий, ...
- Ukrainian:махання, махаючий, ...
- Hindi:फड़फड़ाहट, फड़फड़ाता हुआ, ...
Definition of flap - Reverso English Dictionary
Noun
1.
soundsudden noise or movement from flapping
- The bird's wing made a loud flap.
2.
materialbroad flexible piece attached at one edge
- The envelope had a flap to seal it.
3.
aviationTECH. movable surface on an aircraft wingTECH.
- The pilot adjusted the flap for landing.
4.
upsetUS controversy or scandalUS
- The politician's comment caused a flap.
5.
medicalTECH. piece of tissue partly connected to the bodyTECH.
- The surgeon created a flap for the graft.
6.
phoneticsTECH. consonant sound made by a single tapTECH.
- The word 'butter' has a flap sound.
Verb
1.
movementtr./intr. move something broad and loose up and downtr./intr.
- The bird flapped its wings energetically.
2.
phoneticstr. TECH. pronounce a consonant by quickly tapping the tongue against the rooftr. TECH.
- In some dialects, they flap the 't' in 'butter'.
3.
emotionintr. Rare UK become agitated or flusteredintr. Rare UK
- She began to flap when she lost her keys.
Images of flap

broad flexible piece attached at one edge 
movable surface on an aircraft wing
Expressions with flap
💡 Discover popular phrases, idioms, collocations, or phrasal verbs. Click any expression to learn more, listen to its pronunciation, or save it to your favorites.
move wings or arms quickly and aimlessly
The bird began to flap about in the cage.
move in an erratic or aimless manner
The bird began to flap around the room frantically.
move loosely in the wind
The flag flaps in the breeze on windy days.
very worried, confused or overexcited, often from pressure
After the alarm, she was in a flap all morning.
become very worried or nervous suddenly
She got into a flap before the big test.
stay calm and don't panic
There's no need to flap, everything is under control.
talk a lot without saying anything important or sensible
He loves to flap his lips during meetings.
small door in a larger door or wall for cats
The cat used the cat flap to go outside at night.
small door for dogs to enter and exit
The dog flap allows Max to go outside anytime.
positioned loosely or folded down
The pilot wore a cap with a flap down.
flap behind a vehicle's wheel to block debris
The truck's mud flap was covered in dirt.
section of a tent that can be opened or closed
The tent flap was open to let in fresh air.
large piece of material that hangs or covers
The bag has a big flap to keep things safe.
small door for pets to pass through
The cat used the pet flap to go outside.
small cover on a pocket to protect contents
The pocket flap kept the rain out of his pocket.
talk a lot without saying anything important
They just flap their gums about office gossip instead of getting any work done.
with a repeated flapping movement or sound
The flag waved flip-flap in the strong wind.
minor disagreement between agencies
The interagency flap delayed the project's approval.
cut of beef from the bottom sirloin
He grilled the flap steak to perfection..
device with a swinging plate that lets fluid move mainly one way
The pump includes a flap valve to stop water flowing backward.
movable cover protecting a gun opening or port
The tank's gun flap was closed for safety.
mechanical display board showing information
The train schedule was shown on a split flap.
Origin of flap
Middle English, flappe (a blow)
Examples of flap in a sentence
The sudden flap startled everyone in the room. The tent's flap was caught in the wind. He lifted the flap of the box to peek inside. The engineer checked the flap before takeoff. Flaps were extended to slow down the aircraft. There was a flap over the leaked documents.
The media created a flap about the celebrity's actions. A flap was prepared to cover the wound. The dentist used a flap to access the tooth root. In some dialects, the flap is more pronounced. Linguists study the flap in various languages. The flag flapped in the strong wind. He flapped the towel to dry it quickly. They often flap the 'd' in 'ladder'. Linguists study how people flap certain consonants. He tends to flap under pressure at work. Don't flap; everything will be fine.
View all translations of flap
Click below to see the appropriate translations facing each meaning.
- French:battement, battre, ...
- German:Flattern, schlagen, ...
- Italian:frullo, sbattere, ...
- Spanish:aleteo, batir, ...
- Portuguese:batida, bater, ...
- Chinese:拍打声, 拍打, ...
- Japanese:羽ばたき, 羽ばたく, ...
- Arabic:خَفْق, رَفْرَفَ, ...
- Hebrew:רִפְרוּף, לְפַרְפֵּר, ...
- Russian:хлопок, махать, ...
- Ukrainian:шум, махати, ...
- Hindi:फड़फड़ाहट, फड़फड़ाना, ...

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