Clap

• POS: Noun, Verb (usu participle), Verb (intransitive), Verb (transitive)

CIDE DICTIONARY

Clap, v. t. [AS. clappan; akin to Icel. & Sw. klappa, D, klappen, to clap, prate, G. klaffen, v. i., to split open, yelp, klopfen, v. t. & i., to knock.].

•  To strike; to slap; to strike, or strike together, with a quick motion, so, as to make a sharp noise; as, to clap one's hands; a clapping of wings.  [1913 Webster]

  "Then like a bird it sits and sings,
  And whets and claps its silver wings."  [1913 Webster]
•  To thrust, drive, put, or close, in a hasty or abrupt manner; -- often followed by to, into, on, or upon.  [1913 Webster]

  "He had just time to get in and clap to the door."  [1913 Webster]

  "Clap an extinguisher upon your irony."  [1913 Webster]
•  To manifest approbation of, by striking the hands together; to applaud; as, to clap a performance.  [1913 Webster]

To clap hands. (a) To pledge faith by joining hands. [Obs.] Shak. (b) To express contempt or derision. [Obs.] Lam. ii. 15. -- To clap hold of, to seize roughly or quickly. -- To clap up. (a) To imprison hastily or without due formality. (b) To make or contrive hastily. [Obs.] “Was ever match clapped up so suddenly?” Shak.

Clap, v. i. 

•  To knock, as at a door.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
•  To strike the hands together in applause.  [1913 Webster]

  "Their ladies bid them clap."  [1913 Webster]
•  To come together suddenly with noise.  [1913 Webster]

  "The doors around me clapped."  [1913 Webster]
•  To enter with alacrity and briskness; -- with to or into.  Shak.  [1913 Webster]
•  To talk noisily; to chatter loudly.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]

Clap, n. 

•  A loud noise made by sudden collision; a bang.  Swift.  [1913 Webster]
•  A burst of sound; a sudden explosion.  [1913 Webster]

  "Horrible claps of thunder."  [1913 Webster]
•  A single, sudden act or motion; a stroke; a blow.  [1913 Webster]

  "What, fifty of my followers at a clap!"  [1913 Webster]
•  A striking of hands to express approbation.  [1913 Webster]

  "Unextrected claps or hisses."  [1913 Webster]
•  Noisy talk; chatter.  Chaucer.  [1913 Webster]
•  The nether part of the beak of a hawk.  [1913 Webster]

Clap dish. See Clack dish, under Clack, n. -- Clap net, a net for taking birds, made to close or clap together.

Clap, n. [Cf. OF. clapoir.].

 Gonorrhea.  [1913 Webster]

OXFORD DICTIONARY

Clap, v. & n.
--v. (clapped, clapping)
1 a intr. strike the palms of one's hands together as a signal or repeatedly as applause. b tr. strike (the hands) together in this way.
2 tr. applaud or show one's approval of (esp. a person) in this way.
3 tr. (of a bird) flap (its wings) audibly.
4 tr. put or place quickly or with determination (clapped him in prison; clap a tax on whisky).
--n.
1 the act of clapping, esp. as applause.
2 an explosive sound, esp. of thunder.
3 a slap, a pat.

Idiom

clap eyes on colloq. see. clap on the back = slap on the back. clapped out Brit. sl. worn out (esp. of machinery etc.); exhausted.

Clap, n. coarse sl. venereal disease, esp. gonorrhoea.

Etymology

OF clapoir venereal bubo

THESAURUS

Clap

Bedlam let loose, French disease, Spanish pox, VD, acclaim, acclamation, acquired syphilis, applaud, applause, apply, balanitis gangrenosa, bang, bar, barricade, bash, bat, batten, batten down, bedlam, belt, biff, big hand, blast, bobbery, bolt, bonk, boom, brawl, brouhaha, bump, burst, burst of applause, bust, button, button up, cast, cerebral tabes, chancre, chancroid, charivari, cheer, cheer on, chirm, choke, choke off, chuck, clamor, clangor, clap the hands, clapping, clapping of hands, claps, clash, clatter, climatic bubo, clip, clobber, close, close up, clout, clump, coldcock, commotion, congenital syphilis, constitutional syphilis, constrict, contain, contract, cover, crack, crash, crump, cut, dash, deal, deal a blow, deck, din, discord, donnybrook, dose, dose of clap, drunken brawl, dustup, eclat, encore, fasten, fetch, fetch a blow, fifth venereal disease, flap, fling, flop, fold, fold up, fracas, free-for-all, general paresis, give a hand, gonorrhea, granuloma inguinale, granuloma venereum, great pox, hail, hand, handclap, handclapping, hard chancre, hear it for, hell broke loose, hit, hit a clip, howl, hubbub, hue and cry, hullabaloo, hurl, impose, jab, jangle, key, knock, knock cold, knock down, knock out, latch, latent syphilis, lay, let have it, lock, lock out, lock up, locomotor ataxia, loud noise, morbus Gallicus, noise, noise and shouting, occlude, outcry, ovation, padlock, pandemonium, paralytic dementia, paresis, paste, pat, place, plank, plaudit, plop, plumb, plump, plunk, poke, popularity, pox, pudendal ulcer, punch, put, racket, rap, rattle, report, rhubarb, roar, root for, round of applause, row, ruckus, ruction, rumble, rumpus, seal, seal off, seal up, secure, shindy, shivaree, shut, shut the door, shut up, simple chancre, slam, slap, slat, slog, slug, smack, smash, smite, snap, soak, social disease, sock, soft chancre, splat, squeeze shut, stick, strangle, strike, strike at, swap, swat, swipe, syph, syphilis, syphilitic meningoencephalitis, tabes, tabes dorsales, tap, tertiary syphilis, throw, thrust, thump, thunder, thunder of applause, thunderclap, thwack, tintamarre, toss, tropical bubo, tumult, uproar, venereal disease, wallop, whack, wham, whap, whomp, whop, yerk, zip up, zipper

ROGET THESAURUS

Clap

Approbation

N approbation, approval, approvement, sanction, advocacy, nod of approbation, esteem, estimation, good opinion, golden opinions, admiration, love, appreciation, regard, account, popularity, kudos, credit, repute, best seller, commendation, praise, laud, laudation, good word, meed of praise, tribute of praise, encomium, eulogy, eulogium, eloge, panegyric, homage, hero worship, benediction, blessing, benison, applause, plaudit, clap, clapping, clapping of hands, acclaim, acclamation, cheer, paean, hosannah, shout of applause, peal of applause, chorus of applause, chorus of praise, Prytaneum, approving, in favor of, lost in admiration, commendatory, complimentary, benedictory, laudatory, panegyrical, eulogistic, encomiastic, lavish of praise, uncritical, approved, praised, uncensured, unimpeached, popular, in good odor, in high esteem, in favor, in high favor, deserving of praise, worthy of praise, praiseworthy, commendable, of estimation, good, meritorious, estimable, creditable, plausible, unimpeachable, beyond all praise, with credit, to admiration, well, with three times three, Int, hear hear!, bully for you!, well done!, bravo!, bravissimo!, euge!, macte virtute!, so far so good, that's right, quite right, optime!, one cheer more, may your shadow never be less!, esto perpetua!, long life to!, viva!, enviva!, Godspeed!, valete et plaudite!, encore!, bis!, probatum est, tacent satis laudant, servant of God, well done!.

Snap

VB rap, snap, tap, knock, ping, click, clash, crack, crackle, crash, pop, slam, bang, blast, boom, clap, clang, clack, whack, wham, brustle, burst on the ear, crepitate, rump, blow up, blow, detonate.