- 1[transitive, intransitive] flap (something) if a bird flaps its wings, or if its wings flap, they move quickly up and down synonym beat The bird flapped its wings and flew away. The gulls flew off, wings flapping.
Want to learn more?
Find out which words work together and produce more natural sounding English with the Oxford Collocations Dictionary app.
- 2[intransitive, transitive] to move, or to make something move, up and down or from side to side, often making a noise (+ adv./prep.) The sails flapped in the breeze. Two large birds flapped (= flew) slowly across the water. flap something She walked up and down, flapping her arms to keep warm. A gust of wind flapped the tents.
- 3[transitive] flap something = tap
flap
verbNAmE//flæp//
Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they flap he / she / it flaps
past simple flapped
-ing form flapping
Check pronunciation: flap