Tools: Learn New Words | Secure Password Generator | Startup Tools | PDF Generator

Flap (Verb)

Make a fuss; be agitated.

Verbs of feeling.

She started to flap about the airport when her flight was delayed for the third time that day.
The singer's manager would flap over every little detail before a show to ensure perfection.
He began to flap when his wife wouldn't tell him what was wrong, making everything worse.
My grandmother starts to flap when someone touches her antique furniture.
Her mother will flap unnecessarily about slight changes in the family tradition.

Move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion; "The curtains undulated"; "the waves rolled towards the beach".

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.

The bird's wings began to flap rapidly as it lifted off from the water's surface.
The large flags on the ship's mast started to flap in the strong wind.
A large wave began to flap against the side of the boat.
As the storm intensified, the cables started to flap ominously in the air.
The loose sails of the old ship started to flap violently as the crew attempted to steer.

Pronounce with a flap, of alveolar sounds.

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing.

In some dialects of Spanish, the 'r' sound tends to flap weakly between vowel sounds.
Many speakers of American English flap the sound /t/ and /d/ when they come between vowel sounds.
The alveolar stop /t/ is flapped as a voiced sound in some English dialects like New York City English.
She studied how the 'd' sound in some languages is flapped and results in a soft sound.
When pronouncing some languages with an alveolar tap, this position actually allows for an easy flap of the tongue tip.

Move with a flapping motion; "The bird's wings were flapping".

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.

The bird's wings were flapping rapidly as it took off from the branch.
She stood on the edge of the pool, her arms flapping wildly as she tried to balance.
The butterfly's wings flapped slowly as it sipped nectar from the flower.
A seagull soared overhead, its wings flapping effortlessly on the ocean breeze.
The flag flapped violently in the strong gust of wind.

Move noisily; "flags flapped in the strong wind".

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming.

The newspapers flapped in the cyclone's intense winds, making them hard to hold.
The bird's large wings flapped wildly as it struggled to free itself.
The dog's ears flapped excitedly as it chased the stick.
A loose roofing panel flapped ominously in the storm, threatening to fly off.
The rubber mat flapped against the floor of the garage whenever someone opened the door.