lap

1 of 5

noun (1)

1
a
: a loose overlapping or hanging panel or flap especially of a garment
b
archaic : the skirt of a coat or dress
2
a
: the clothing that lies on the knees, thighs, and lower part of the trunk when one sits
b
: the front part of the lower trunk and thighs of a seated person
3
: responsible custody : control
going to drop the whole thing in your lapHamilton Basso
lapful noun

lap

2 of 5

verb (1)

lapped; lapping

transitive verb

1
a
: to fold over or around something : wind
b
: to envelop entirely : swathe
2
: to fold over especially into layers
3
: to hold protectively in or as if in the lap : cuddle
4
a
: to place over and cover a part of : overlap
lap shingles on a roof
b
: to join (things, such as two boards) by a lap joint
5
a
: to dress, smooth, or polish (something, such as a metal surface) to a high degree of refinement or accuracy
b
: to shape or fit by working two surfaces together with or without abrasives until a very close fit is produced
6
a
: to overtake and thereby lead or increase the lead over (another contestant) by a full circuit of a racecourse
b
: to complete the circuit of (a racecourse)

intransitive verb

1
: fold, wind
2
a
: to project beyond or spread over something
b
: to lie partly over or alongside of something or of one another : overlap
3
: to traverse a course

lap

3 of 5

noun (2)

1
a
: the amount by which one object overlaps or projects beyond another
b
: the part of an object that overlaps another
2
: a smoothing and polishing tool usually consisting of a piece of wood, leather, felt, or soft metal in a special shape used with or without an embedded abrasive
3
: a doubling or layering of a flexible substance (such as fibers or paper)
4
a
: the act or an instance of traversing a course (such as a racing track or swimming pool)
also : the distance covered
b
: one segment of a larger unit (such as a journey)
c
: one complete turn (as of a rope around a drum)

lap

4 of 5

verb (2)

lapped; lapping; laps
1
a
transitive + intransitive : to take in (food or drink) with the tongue
a cat lapping milk from a dish
often used with up
Covered with sticky saliva, this long tongue helps the aardvark lap up a lot of termites.Jo Anne Chitwood Snow
b
transitive : to take in or absorb (something) eagerly or quickly
used with up
The crowd lapped up every word he said.
2
a
intransitive : to make a gentle, intermittent splashing sound
It was quiet except for the ripples of water lapping at the side of the boat.Elisa Smith
b
intransitive : to move in little waves : wash
… banging the table so hard that a couple of lattes lapped over the edge of their cups …Douglas Frantz et al.
c
transitive : to flow or splash against (something) in little waves
… the firm ribbon of beach lapped by waves.William Nack

lap

5 of 5

noun (3)

1
a
: an act or instance of lapping
b
: the amount that can be carried to the mouth by one lick or scoop of the tongue
2
: a thin or weak beverage or food
3
: a gentle splashing sound
Phrases
the lap of luxury
: an environment of great ease, comfort, and wealth

Examples of lap in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
Many airlines allow kids under 2 to fly in your lap for a very low rate, sometimes even for free. Emily Siner, NPR, 5 Mar. 2024 On Monday, the Justice Department took a victory lap. David Koenig, Fortune, 5 Mar. 2024 An infamous incident that haunts the group is George H Bush’s vomit into the lap of the Japanese prime minister at a state banquet in Japan (in 1992), an act that the Japanese refer to as ‘Busshu-suru’. Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 1 Mar. 2024 That's why young babies happily move from one lap to another. Karen Horsch, Parents, 1 Mar. 2024 The dog, already lying down with her head on Gaines’s lap, turns to glance at Meyers as if mildly annoyed. Justin Wm. Moyer, Washington Post, 29 Feb. 2024 The couple confirmed their relationship on Instagram in April 2023 when Seidl, 24, posted an image of Biermann sitting on his lap. Esme Mazzeo, Peoplemag, 27 Feb. 2024 What about those runners craving more than 95 laps? Claire Reid, Journal Sentinel, 24 Feb. 2024 The race was red-flagged for 15 minutes to clean up the track with eight laps to go. John Cherwa, Los Angeles Times, 20 Feb. 2024
Verb
The only certainty is that media, social and otherwise, will lap it all up. Bill Goodykoontz, The Arizona Republic, 28 Feb. 2024 Made on a shoestring budget and shot over a little more than a week, it was lapped up for giving a uniquely dark and hilarious twist to the standard gangster flick while adding splashes of U.K. kitchen-sink social realism into the mix. Alex Ritman, Variety, 27 Feb. 2024 Everyone lapped up the Outsiders House Museum, a faithful re-creation of the bungalow the Curtis brothers shared in the movie, located in a residential neighborhood whistling distance from the train tracks. Melena Ryzik Adali Schell, New York Times, 22 Feb. 2024 After 54 games this season, Antetokounmpo is lapping the field in restricted area scoring. Shane Young, Forbes, 22 Feb. 2024 Chinese consumers, especially those in lower-tier cities, are lapping it up. TIME, 17 Feb. 2024 Hamilton is without a win since December 2021, having watched Verstappen claim the world title in the final race of that season and then lap the field in 2022 and 2023. Sam Joseph, CNN, 2 Feb. 2024 This Thanksgiving holiday is expected to lap the last two post-pandemic editions, generating nearly $190 million in revenues. Brent Lang, Variety, 23 Nov. 2023 Watch as the cat, with his wonderful twists of tongue, laps the milk into his mouth and then sits and raises a paw to meticulously groom himself. David Means, The New Yorker, 15 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'lap.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English lappe, from Old English læppa; akin to Old High German lappa flap

Verb (2)

Middle English, from Old English lapian; akin to Old High German laffan to lick, Latin lambere, Greek laphyssein to devour

First Known Use

Noun (1)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Noun (2)

1800, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (2)

before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Noun (3)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of lap was before the 12th century

Dictionary Entries Near lap

Cite this Entry

“Lap.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lap. Accessed 19 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

lap

1 of 5 noun
1
: a loose panel in a garment : flap
2
a
: the clothing that lies on the knees and thighs when one sits
b
: the front part of a person between the waist and the knees when seated

lap

2 of 5 verb
lapped; lapping
1
2
3
: to lay or lie over or near something else so as to partly cover it
lap one shingle over another

lap

3 of 5 noun
1
a
: the amount by which one object overlaps another
b
: the part of an object that overlaps another
2
a
: one time around a racetrack
b
: one part of a journey

lap

4 of 5 verb
lapped; lapping
1
: to scoop up food or drink with the tongue
2
: to wash or splash gently

lap

5 of 5 noun
: an act or sound of lapping
Etymology

Noun

Old English læppa "flap of a garment"

Verb

Old English lapian "to take into the mouth by means of the tongue"

Medical Definition

lap

abbreviation
laparotomy

More from Merriam-Webster on lap

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!