clap

1 a loud explosive sound a clap of thunder that woke the whole house up Synonyms bang, blast, boom, crack, crash, pop, report, slam, smash, snap, thunderclap, thwack, whack, whomp, whump Related Words thunk, wham; clang, clangor, clank, clash; knock, rap, tap; blare, clamor, howl, hubbub, hue and cry, hullabaloo, outcry, roar, tumult, uproar

2 a hard strike with a part of the body or an instrument a sharp clap to the head of the disrespectful youth Synonyms bang, bash, bat, beat, belt, biff, bop, box, buffet, bust, chop, blow, clip, clout, crack, cuff, dab, douse [British], fillip, hack, haymaker, hit, hook, knock, larrup [dialect], lash, lick, pelt, pick, plump, poke, pound, punch, rap, slam, slap, slug, smack, smash, sock, spank, stinger, stripe, stroke, swat, swipe, switch, thud, thump, thwack, wallop, welt, whack, wham, whop (also whap)Related Words counter, counterblow, counterpunch, counterstroke; body blow, hand, kick, knee, left, one-two, rabbit punch, right, right-hander, roundhouse, shiver, sidewinder, sucker punch, swing, uppercut; cruncher, kayo, knockdown, knockout, KO; bastinado (or bastinade), battering, beating, bludgeoning, clobbering, cudgeling (or cudgelling), drubbing, hammering, lambasting, licking, pasting, pounding, pummeling (also pummelling), thrashing; flogging, walloping, whip, whipping