Flap - English meaning

noun

A state of agitation or fuss, especially about something unimportant.

Usage examples:

This is much ado about almost nothing

suffix

Forming nouns such as bravado, desperado.

noun

Delay or unnecessary activity

Usage examples:

Without further ado, i shall introduce tonight’s speaker.

verb

Make (someone) troubled or nervous.

Usage examples:

The thought of questioning toby agitated him extremely

verb

To argue energetically, esp. in public, in order to achieve a particular type of change

Usage examples:

Telephone companies began to agitate for permission to compete in long distance services., any ment…

noun

A state of anxiety or nervous excitement.

Usage examples:

She was wringing her hands in agitation

noun

Worry and anxiety

Usage examples:

He arrived home in a state of agitation., the anti-war agitation is beginning to worry the governme…

verb

Strike (a person or an animal) repeatedly and violently so as to hurt or injure them, typically with an implement such as a club or whip.

Usage examples:

If we were caught we were beaten

noun

A main accent or rhythmic unit in music or poetry.

Usage examples:

The glissando begins on the second beat

adjective

Short for beatnik.

noun

A punishment or assault in which the victim is hit repeatedly.

Usage examples:

If he got dirt on his clothes he'd get a beating

verb

Strike (a person or an animal) repeatedly and violently so as to hurt or injure them, typically with an implement such as a club or whip.

Usage examples:

If we were caught we were beaten

noun

The act of hitting someone hard and repeatedly

Usage examples:

He escaped a beating., fig. this chair has taken a beating over the years (= been used often and da…

noun

A state of confused and noisy disturbance.

Usage examples:

She was distracted by a commotion across the street

noun

A sudden, brief period of noise, confusion, or excited movement

Usage examples:

[ c ] there was a commotion outside the embassy.

noun

Prolonged public disagreement or heated discussion.

Usage examples:

The design of the building has caused controversy

noun

A disagreement, often a public one, that involves different ideas or opinions about something

Usage examples:

[ c ] publication of the article unleashed a scientific controversy that raged for years., [ u ] th…

noun

A thing used to protect, decorate, or conceal something else.

Usage examples:

A vinyl floor covering

adjective

(of shooting) carried out to protect an exposed person from an enemy.

Usage examples:

We retreated behind spurts of covering fire

verb

Put something on top of or in front of (something), especially in order to protect or conceal it.

Usage examples:

The table had been covered with a checked tablecloth

verb

Be indecisive.

Usage examples:

I can't bear people who dither

noun

Indecisive behaviour.

Usage examples:

After months of dither ministers had still not agreed

phrase

Be undecided or uncertain

noun

A feeling of great enthusiasm and eagerness.

Usage examples:

Her cheeks were flushed with excitement

noun

A threshing tool consisting of a wooden staff with a short heavy stick swinging from it.

Usage examples:

In some middle eastern locations, the same animals dragged a sledge over the ears, or workers manua…

verb

Wave or swing wildly.

Usage examples:

His arms flailed as he sought to maintain his balance

verb

Wave or swing wildly.

Usage examples:

His arms flailed as he sought to maintain his balance

noun

A threshing tool consisting of a wooden staff with a short heavy stick swinging from it.

Usage examples:

In some middle eastern locations, the same animals dragged a sledge over the ears, or workers manua…

noun

A threshing tool consisting of a wooden staff with a short heavy stick swinging from it.

Usage examples:

In some middle eastern locations, the same animals dragged a sledge over the ears, or workers manua…

noun

A small swirling mass of something, especially snow or leaves, moved by sudden gusts of wind.

Usage examples:

A flurry of snow

verb

(especially of snow or leaves) be moved in small swirling masses by sudden gusts of wind.

Usage examples:

Gusts of snow flurried through the door

noun

A sudden light fall of snow, blown in different directions by the wind

Usage examples:

Heavy snow will be tapering off to flurries in the morning., there was a flurry of excitement as th…

verb

Make (someone) agitated or confused.

Usage examples:

There's nothing you can do or say to fluster bernie

noun

An agitated or confused state.

Usage examples:

The main thing is not to get all in a fluster

verb

To make someone nervous or upset, esp. when the person is trying to do something

Usage examples:

Don’t let that new tax form fluster you – it’s not as bad as it looks., if i look flustered it’s be…

verb

(of a bird or other winged creature) fly unsteadily or hover by flapping the wings quickly and lightly.

Usage examples:

A couple of butterflies fluttered around the garden

noun

An act of fluttering.

Usage examples:

There was a flutter of wings at the window

verb

To move in quick, irregular motions, or to cause something to move this way

Usage examples:

[ i ] the flags fluttered in the breeze., there was a flutter of wings overhead.

adjective

(of a bird or other winged creature) flying unsteadily or hovering by flapping the wings quickly and lightly.

Usage examples:

Fluttering butterflies

verb

(of a bird or other winged creature) fly unsteadily or hover by flapping the wings quickly and lightly.

Usage examples:

A couple of butterflies fluttered around the garden

verb

Present participle of flutter

Usage examples:

Brightly coloured flags were fluttering in the breeze., leaves fluttered down onto the path., butte…

verb

Bend (something flexible and relatively flat) over on itself so that one part of it covers another.

Usage examples:

Sam folded up the map

noun

A form or shape produced by the gentle draping of a loose, full garment or piece of cloth.

Usage examples:

The fabric fell in soft folds

verb

Shut (livestock) in a fold.

noun

A display of unnecessary or excessive excitement, activity, or interest.

Usage examples:

I don't know what all the fuss is about

verb

Show unnecessary or excessive concern about something.

Usage examples:

She's always fussing about her food

noun

A chaotic din caused by a crowd of people.

Usage examples:

A hubbub of laughter and shouting

noun

The flat area between the waist and knees of a seated person.

Usage examples:

Come and sit on my lap

verb

Overtake (a competitor in a race) to become one or more laps ahead.

Usage examples:

She lapped all of her rivals in the 3,000 metres

noun

The action or sound of water washing gently against something.

Usage examples:

Listening to the comfortable lap of the waves against the shore

noun

A fold or hanging piece of flesh in some animals.

Usage examples:

The shape of its edge indicates that the maxilla lacked the posterodorsally reflected lappet presen…

verb

Move or swing back and forth in a regular rhythm.

Usage examples:

The grain pan near the front of the combine oscillates back and forth

verb

To move repeatedly from side to side or up and down between two points, or to vary between two states or amounts, or feelings or opinions

Usage examples:

She oscillates between cooperation and hostility., mealtimes strongly influence this daily oscillat…

verb

To move repeatedly from one position to another

Usage examples:

Oscillate between sth and sth the stock has spent most of the past five years oscillating between $…

verb

Hang or extend outwards over.

Usage examples:

A concrete path overhung by jacaranda trees

noun

A part of something that extends or hangs over something else.

Usage examples:

He crouched beneath an overhang of bushes

verb

(of something at a high level) to stick out farther than something at a lower level and therefore not to have any support from below, or to hang over

Usage examples:

The balcony overhangs the patio, creating a shady place to sit., the house has a deep overhang faci…

verb

Extend over so as to cover partly.

Usage examples:

The canopy overlaps the house roof at one end

noun

A part or amount which overlaps.

Usage examples:

An overlap of about half an inch

noun

Sudden uncontrollable fear or anxiety, often causing wildly unthinking behaviour.

Usage examples:

She hit him in panic

verb

Feel or cause to feel panic.

Usage examples:

The crowd panicked and stampeded for the exit

noun

A cereal and fodder grass of a group including millet.

Usage examples:

Two of the most common, but functionally indeterminate, grass grains regularly identified from amer…

verb

Tremble or shake with a slight rapid motion.

Usage examples:

The tree's branches stopped quivering

noun

A slight trembling movement or sound, especially one caused by a sudden strong emotion.

Usage examples:

She couldn't help the quiver in her voice

noun

An archer's portable case for holding arrows.

Usage examples:

He also had a framed backpack, a utility belt containing tools, a quiver containing 14 arrows, a fl…

verb

(of a structure or area of land) tremble or vibrate.

Usage examples:

Buildings shook in sacramento and tremors were felt in reno

noun

An act of shaking.

Usage examples:

She gave her red curls a shake

verb

Move or cause to move back and forth

verb

(of a structure or area of land) tremble or vibrate.

Usage examples:

Buildings shook in sacramento and tremors were felt in reno

noun

An act of shaking.

Usage examples:

She gave her red curls a shake

noun

A fit of trembling or shivering.

Usage examples:

I wouldn't go in there, it gives me the shakes

noun

The particular condition that someone or something is in at a specific time.

Usage examples:

The state of the company's finances

verb

Express something definitely or clearly in speech or writing.

Usage examples:

The report stated that more than 51 per cent of voters failed to participate

noun

A condition or way of being

Usage examples:

The stable was preserved in its original state., your room is in a terrible state., it's a sad stat…

noun

A dish of meat and vegetables cooked slowly in liquid in a closed dish or pan.

Usage examples:

Lamb stew

verb

(with reference to meat, fruit, or other food) cook or be cooked slowly in liquid in a closed dish or pan.

Usage examples:

Beef stewed in wine

noun

A pond or large tank for keeping fish for eating.

Usage examples:

On one of my local stew ponds there is an attitude that if it's not into double figures it ain't wo…

verb

Move a spoon or other implement round in (a liquid or other substance) in order to mix it thoroughly.

Usage examples:

Desmond stirred his tea and ate a biscuit

noun

A slight physical movement.

Usage examples:

I stood, straining eyes and ears for the faintest stir

noun

Prison.

Usage examples:

I've spent twenty-eight years in stir

noun

A violent disturbance of the atmosphere with strong winds and usually rain, thunder, lightning, or snow.

Usage examples:

These kinds of storms can produce rain, hail snow, thunder and lightning.

verb

Move angrily or forcefully in a specified direction.

Usage examples:

She burst into tears and stormed off

noun

An extreme weather condition with strong winds and heavy rain or snow

Usage examples:

The storm left over a foot of snow on the ground., the new rent regulations raised a storm of criti…

verb

Move or cause to move back and forth or from side to side while suspended or on an axis.

Usage examples:

Her long black skirt swung about her legs

noun

A seat suspended by ropes or chains, on which someone may sit and swing back and forth.

Usage examples:

The chains that had been holding the seat of the swing up were still sticking straight out.

verb

Change direction with a swinging motion; turn

abbreviation

Imperial or metric ton(s).

Usage examples:

Lithuania produced 512,000 t of sulphuric acid in 1989

contraction

The word ‘it’, attached to the end of a verb, especially in the transcription of regional spoken use.

Usage examples:

I'll never do’t again

suffix

Equivalent to -est2 (as in shalt ).

noun

A small flap or strip of material attached to or projecting from something, used to hold, fasten, or manipulate it, or for identification and information.

Usage examples:

The shopkeeper undid the clasp binding the date book closed and heaved it open, revealing a binder …

verb

Short for tableau curtains.

verb

Use the tab key on a computer or typewriter keyboard.

Usage examples:

The user can tab to the phrase and press enter

verb

Beat (a person or animal) repeatedly and violently with a stick or whip.

Usage examples:

She thrashed him across the head and shoulders

noun

A violent or noisy movement of beating or thrashing.

Usage examples:

The thrash of the waves

verb

Give a beating to

verb

Separate grain from (corn or other crops), typically with a flail or by the action of a revolving mechanism.

Usage examples:

Machinery that can reap and thresh corn in the same process

verb

To remove the seeds of crop plants by hitting, using either a machine or a hand tool

noun

A state of excitement or confusion

Usage examples:

She’s in a tizzy because she locked her keys in the car.

noun

A state of nervous excitement or agitation.

Usage examples:

He got into a tizzy and was talking absolute tosh

noun

A state of excitement or confusion

Usage examples:

She’s in a tizzy because she locked her keys in the car.

verb

(of a person or part of the body) shake involuntarily, typically as a result of anxiety, excitement, or frailty.

Usage examples:

Isobel was trembling with excitement

noun

(of a person, a part of the body, or the voice) shake involuntarily, typically as a result of anxiety, excitement, or frailty.

Usage examples:

Isobel was trembling with excitement

noun

A loud, confused noise, especially one caused by a large mass of people.

Usage examples:

A tumult of shouting and screaming broke out

noun

Noise and excitement, or a state of confusion, change, or uncertainty

Usage examples:

[ u ] mental tumult, [ c usually sing ] a tumult of emotion, [ u ] the garden sits amid the tumult …

noun

A silly or foolish person.

Usage examples:

She has no patience with the upper-class twit her parents try to match her with

verb

Tease or taunt (someone), especially in a good-humoured way.

Usage examples:

Her playmates could not twit her about her pigtail

noun

A state of agitation or nervous excitement.

Usage examples:

We're in a twit about your visit

verb

Give or cause to give a short, sudden jerking or convulsive movement.

Usage examples:

Her lips twitched and her eyelids fluttered

noun

A short, sudden jerking or convulsive movement.

Usage examples:

His mouth gave a slight twitch

verb

To make a short and sudden movement, or to cause part of your body to move suddenly

Usage examples:

[ i ] she saw his mouth twitch into a little smile that disappeared almost at once., she signalled …

verb

(of a bird) give a call consisting of repeated light tremulous sounds.

Usage examples:

Sparrows twittered under the eaves

noun

A series of short, high-pitched calls or sounds.

Usage examples:

His words were cut off by a faint electronic twitter

noun

The name of a social networking site on the internet for communicating with people quickly

noun

A loud and impassioned noise or disturbance.

Usage examples:

The room was in an uproar

noun

Loud complaints esp. by angry people, or a noisy state of confusion

Usage examples:

[ c ] there was an uproar over the proposed rent increases.

verb

Move continuously and rapidly to and fro.

Usage examples:

The cabin started to vibrate

verb

To move quickly backward and forward, or to cause something to shake

Usage examples:

[ i ] musical sounds are produced when the strings of the piano vibrate., [ i ] a thundering boom m…

verb

(especially with reference to an animal's tail) move or cause to move rapidly to and fro.

Usage examples:

His tail began to wag

noun

A single rapid movement from side to side.

Usage examples:

A chirpy wag of the head

verb

Play truant from (school).

Usage examples:

He began hanging out with bad people and wagging school

verb

Move or cause to move with short quick movements from side to side or up and down.

Usage examples:

His arm waggled

noun

An act of waggling.

Usage examples:

He went through the same routine, the same wiggles and waggles that he did on the golf course.

verb

Move one's hand to and fro in greeting or as a signal.

Usage examples:

He waved to me from the train

noun

A long body of water curling into an arched form and breaking on the shore.

Usage examples:

He was swept out to sea by a freak wave

verb

(physics) a movement up and down or back and forth

verb

Move one's hand to and fro in greeting or as a signal.

Usage examples:

He waved to me from the train

adjective

Moving one's hand to and fro in greeting or as a signal.

Usage examples:

The waving crowds

adjective

Moving to and fro with a swaying motion while remaining fixed to one point.

Usage examples:

The waving flag