lap: Meaning and Definition of

lap

Pronunciation: (lap), [key]
— n.
  1. the front part of the human body from the waist to the knees when in a sitting position.
  2. the part of the clothing that lies on the front portion of the body from the waist to the knees when one sits.
  3. a place, environment, or situation of rest or nurture: the lap of luxury.
  4. area of responsibility, care, charge, or control: They dropped the problem right in his lap.
  5. a hollow place, as a hollow among hills.
  6. the front part of a skirt, esp. as held up to contain something.
  7. a part of a garment that extends over another: the lap of a coat.
  8. a loose border or fold.

lap

Pronunciation: (lap), [key]
— v., n. lapped, lap•ping,
—v.t.
  1. to fold over or around something; wrap or wind around something: to lap a bandage around one's finger.
  2. to enwrap in something; wrap up; clothe.
  3. to envelop or enfold: lapped in luxury.
  4. to lay (something) partly over something underneath; lay (things) together, one partly over another; overlap.
  5. to lie partly over (something underneath).
  6. to get a lap or more ahead of (a competitor) in racing, as on an oval track.
  7. to cut or polish with a lap.
  8. to join, as by scarfing, to form a single piece with the same dimensions throughout.
  9. to change (cotton, wool, etc.) into a compressed layer or sheet.
—v.i.
  1. to fold or wind around something.
  2. to lie partly over or alongside of something else.
  3. to lie upon and extend beyond a thing; overlap.
  4. to extend beyond a limit.
—n.
  1. the act of lapping.
  2. the amount of material required to go around a thing once.
  3. a complete circuit of a course in racing or in walking for exercise: to run a lap.
  4. an overlapping part.
  5. the extent or amount of overlapping.
  6. a rotating wheel or disk holding an abrasive or polishing powder on its surface, used for gems, cutlery, etc.
  7. a compressed layer or sheet of cotton, wool, or other fibrous material usually wound on an iron rod or rolled into a cylindrical form for further processing during carding.

lap

Pronunciation: (lap), [key]
— v., n. lapped, lap•ping,
—v.t.
  1. (of water) to wash against or beat upon (something) with a light, slapping or splashing sound: Waves lapped the shoreline.
  2. to take in (liquid) with the tongue; lick in: to lap water from a bowl.
—v.i.
  1. to wash or move in small waves with a light, slapping or splashing sound: The water lapped gently against the mooring.
  2. to take up liquid with the tongue; lick up a liquid.
  3. The audience lapped up his monologue.
    1. Informal.to receive enthusiastically:The audience lapped up his monologue.
    2. to take in (all of a liquid) with the tongue; drink up:The cat lapped up her milk and looked for more.
—n.
  1. the act of lapping liquid.
  2. the lapping of water against something.
  3. the sound of this: the quiet lap of the sea on the rocks.
  4. something lapped up, as liquid food for dogs.

lap

Pronunciation: (lap), [key]
— v. Archaic.
  1. pt. of
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.
See also:
  • lap (Thesaurus)