Clap Meaning
/klæp/Definition, CEFR level A2, pronunciation, examples, and quiz.
Listen pronunciation
Definition
nounThe act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together.
nounThe explosive sound of thunder.
Sentence Examples
Suddenly I heard a loud clap of thunder.
They did not clap for us.
CEFR Practice Quiz
After the stunning performance, the audience began to ____ loudly for several minutes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Please ____ your hands if you enjoyed the beautiful performance.
Word Origin & History
From Middle English clappen, from Old English clæppan, *clappian, from Proto-West Germanic *klappijan, *klappōn, from Proto-Germanic *klappōną (“to clap”). Cognate with Dutch klappen, Icelandic klappa, Faroese klappa and Danish klappe.
Literary Quotations & Historical Citations
"The deafening claps of thunder and the dazzling flashes of lightning which lit up the ghastly scene testified that the artillery of heaven had lent its supernatural pomp to the already gruesome spectacle."
— 1922 February, James Joyce, “[[Episode 12: The Cyclops]]”, in Ulysses, Paris: Shakespeare and Company, […], →OCLC:
"With each clap of thunder echoing from one high building to another the noise was terrific."
— 1953 July, Allen Rowley, “First Impressions of American Railways”, in Railway Magazine, page 493:
"Give the door such a clap, as you go out, as will shake the whole room."
— 1731 (date written; published 1745), [Jonathan] Swift, Directions to Servants […], London: […] R[obert] Dodsley, […], and M. Cooper, […], →OCLC:
"What, fifty of my followers at a clap!"
— c. 1603–1606, William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of King Lear”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act I, scene iv]:
"But it took him a long time to get down-stairs, and a still longer to undo the fastenings, repenting (I dare say) and taken with fresh claps of fear at every second step and every bolt and bar."
— 1886 May 1 – July 31, Robert Louis Stevenson, Kidnapped, being Memoirs of the Adventures of David Balfour in the Year 1751: […], London; Paris: Cassell & Company, published 1886, →OCLC:
Explore More A2 Vocabulary Words
CEFR Practice Quiz
After the stunning performance, the audience began to ____ loudly for several minutes.
CEFR Practice Quiz (Alternate)
Please ____ your hands if you enjoyed the beautiful performance.