Meanings
lap1
present singular third person laps · participle present lapping · participle past lapped · past lapped
- transitiveTo enfold; to hold as in one's lap; to cherish.
Her garment spreads, and laps him in the fold.
1693, Decimus Junius Juvenalis, John Dryden, transl., “[The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis.] The Sixth Satyr”, in The Satires of Decimus Junius Juvenalis. Translated into English Verse. […] Together with the Satires of Aulus Persius Flaccus. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson […], →OCLC - transitiveTo rest or recline in someone's lap, or as in a lap.
to lap his head on lady's breast
a. 1839, Winthrop Mackworth Praed, Gog
lap2
present singular third person laps · participle present lapping · participle past lapped · past lapped · archaic participle past lapt · archaic past lapt
- transitiveTo fold; to bend and lay over or on something.
to lap a piece of cloth
- transitiveto wrap around, enwrap, wrap up
to lap a bandage around a finger
1 more example
About the paper […] I lapped several times a slender thread of very black silk.
1704, I[saac] N[ewton], “(please specify |book=1 to 3)”, in Opticks: Or, A Treatise of the Reflexions, Refractions, Inflexions and Colours of Light. […], London: […] Sam[uel] Smith, and Benj[amin] Walford, printers to the Royal Society, […], →OCLC - intransitiveto wind around
- transitiveTo polish (a surface, especially metal or gemstone) with very fine abrasive to achieve smoothness and small dimensional changes.
- intransitiveTo be turned or folded; to lie partly on or over something; to overlap.
The cloth laps back.
2 more examples
The boats lap; the edges lap.
The upper wings are opacous[…]; at their hinder ends, where they lap over, transparent, like the wing of a fly.
1681, Nehemiah Grew, Musæum Regalis Societatis. Or A Catalogue & Description of the Natural and Artificial Rarities Belonging to the Royal Society and Preserved at Gresham Colledge. […], London: […] W. Rawlins, for the author, →OCLC - To cut or polish with a lap, as glass, gems, cutlery, etc.
plural laps
- The act or process of lapping.
- That part of any substance or fixture which extends over, or lies upon, or by the side of, a part of another.
the lap of a board
- The state or condition of being in part extended over or by the side of something else; or the extent of the overlapping.
The second boat got a lap of half its length on the leader.
- The amount by which a slide valve at its half stroke overlaps a port in the seat, being equal to the distance the valve must move from its mid stroke position in order to begin to open the port. Used alone, lap refers to outside lap (see below).
- hobbiesOne circuit around a race track.
to run twenty laps
3 more examples
to drive the fastest lap in qualifying
to win by three laps
Alonso's second place moves him into a tie on points at the head of the championship with Sebastian Vettel, who was sixth in his Red Bull, passing Button, then Hamilton and finally Mercedes driver Nico Rosberg in quick succession in the closing laps.
2012 May 13, Andrew Benson, “Williams's Pastor Maldonado takes landmark Spanish Grand Prix win”, in BBC Sport - In card playing and other games, the points won in excess of the number necessary to complete a game;—so called when they are counted in the score of the following game.
- A sheet, layer, or bat, of cotton fiber prepared for the carding machine.
- A piece of brass, lead, or other soft metal, used to hold a cutting or polishing powder in cutting glass, gems, etc. or in polishing cutlery or in toolmaking. It is usually in the form of a wheel or disk that revolves on a vertical axis.
lap3
present singular third person laps · participle present lapping · participle past lapped · past lapped · archaic participle past lapt · archaic past lapt
- ambitransitiveTo take (liquid) into the mouth with the tongue; to lick up with a quick motion of the tongue.
Don’t lap your soup like that! You look like a dog.
2 more examples
They'll take suggestion as a cat laps milk.
1610–1611 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tempest”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, [Act II, scene i]The dogs by the River Nilus's side, being thirsty, lap hastily […]as they run along the shore.
1644, Kenelme [i.e., Kenelm] Digby, Two Treatises. In the One of which, the Nature of Bodies; in the Other, the Nature of Mans Soule; is Looked into: In Way of Discovery, of the Immortality of Reasonable Soules, Paris: […] Gilles Blaizot, →OCLC
plural laps
- countableuncountableThe taking of liquid into the mouth with the tongue.
With each lap of its tongue a cat gathers up milk and throws it well back into the gateway of its throat […]
1955, Ann Haven Morgan, Kinships of Animals and Man: A Textbook of Animal Biology, page 176
lap4
plural laps
- abbreviationclippingcolloquialmedicineClipping of laparoscopy.
- abbreviationclippingcolloquialmedicineClipping of laparotomy
- abbreviationclippingcolloquialnot comparablemedicineClipping of laparoscopic.
LAP5
Synonyms & antonyms
verbTo overtake a straggler in a race by completing one more whole lap than the straggler.
More synonyms by meaning
nounthe part of a piece of clothing that covers the thighs
verbmove with or cause to move with a whistling or hissing sound
Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.
Origin
lap · noun, verb
- Proto-Indo-European*leb-“to hang loosely”
- Proto-Germanic*lappô“cloth; rag”
- Proto-West Germanic*lappō
- Old Englishlæppa“skirt or flap of a garment”
- Middle Englishlappe
- Englishlap
From Middle English lappe, from Old English læppa (“skirt or flap of a garment”), from Proto-West Germanic *lappō, from Proto-Germanic *lappô (“cloth; rag”), of uncertain origin, possibly Proto-Indo-European *leb- (“to hang loosely”). Cognate with Dutch lap (“cloth; rag”), German Lappen (“cloth; lobe; flap”), Icelandic leppur (“rag; patch”).
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →lap · verb, noun
- Proto-Indo-European*werb-“to bend, turn”
- Proto-Germanic*wlapp-
- Old English*wlappan
- Middle Englishlappen“to fold, wrap”
- Englishlap
From Middle English lappen (“to fold, wrap”) from earlier wlappen (“to fold, wrap”), from Old English *wlappan, *wlæppan, *wlappian (“to wrap”), from Proto-Germanic *wlapp-, *wrapp- (“to wrap, fold, roll up, turn”), from Proto-Indo-European *werb- (“to bend, turn”). Cognate with Middle Dutch lappen (“to wrap up, embrace”), dialectal Danish vravle (“to wind”), Old Italian goluppare (“to wrap, fold up”) (from Germanic). Doublet of wrap. Also related to envelop, develop. The sense of "to get a lap ahead (of someone) on a track" is from 1847, on notion of "overlapping." The noun meaning "a turn around a track" (1861) is from this sense.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-Germanic
Full word history & related roots →lap · verb, noun
- Proto-Indo-European*leh₂b-“to lap, lick”
- Proto-Germanic*lapōną
- Proto-West Germanic*lapōn
- Old Englishlapian
- Middle Englishlappen
- Englishlap
From Middle English lappen, from Old English lapian, from Proto-West Germanic *lapōn, from Proto-Germanic *lapōną, *lapjaną (“to lick; lap”), from imitative Proto-Indo-European *leh₂b- (“to lap, lick”); akin to Old High German laffen (“to lick”), Old Norse lepja, Danish labe, Old Saxon lepil, German Löffel (“spoon”). Cognate with Latin lambere (“lick”). French lamper is a loanword from German. Compare Danish leffe, dialect German läffeln.
More words from Middle English, Old English, Proto-West Germanic
Full word history & related roots →Translations
Ancient Greek κόλπος, λάπτω
- κόλπος (kólpos)part that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- λάπτω (láptō)to take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
Arabic حَجَر, وَلَغَ
- حَجَر (ḥajar)upper legs of a seated person
- وَلَغَ (walaḡa)to take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
Bulgarian поли, скут
- поли (poli)lower part of a garment that plays loosely
- скут (skut)part that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- скут (skut)upper legs of a seated person
- припокривам (pripokrivam)(transitive) To place or lay (something) so as to overlap another
- припокривам се (pripokrivam se)(intransitive) To lie partly on or over something; to overlap
- припокриване (pripokrivane)state of being in part extended over something else
- обиколка (obikolka)sports: one circuit around a race track
- намотка (namotka)sheet, layer, or bat, of cotton fiber prepared for the carding machine
- лоча (loča)to take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
- плискам (pliskam)to wash against a surface with a splashing sound
Catalan doblec, falda
- doblecedge; border; hem
- faldapart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- faldaupper legs of a seated person
- voltasports: one circuit around a race track
Chinese Cantonese 塘
- 塘 (tong⁴)swimming: the traversal of one length of the pool
Chinese Mandarin 膝部, 圈
- 膝部 (xībù)upper legs of a seated person
- 圈 (quān)sports: one circuit around a race track
- 啜 (chuò)to take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
Czech klín, kolo
- klínupper legs of a seated person
- kolosports: one circuit around a race track
Danish skød
- skødupper legs of a seated person
Dutch zoom, schoot
- zoomedge; border; hem
- schootupper legs of a seated person
- overlappen(intransitive) To lie partly on or over something; to overlap
- rondesports: one circuit around a race track
Esperanto sino
- sinoupper legs of a seated person
Estonian lakkuma
- lakkumato take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
Finnish helma, helma
- helmalower part of a garment that plays loosely
- helmaedge; border; hem
- sylipart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- syliupper legs of a seated person
- syliarchaic, euphemistic: female pudenda
- ohittaa kierroksellasports, motor racing: to overtake a straggler in a race
- ylitepart which extends over another part
- ylitestate of being in part extended over something else
- kierrossports: one circuit around a race track
- laappisheet, layer, or bat, of cotton fiber prepared for the carding machine
- lipoato take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
- latkiato take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
- lipittääto take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
- liplattaato wash against a surface with a splashing sound
French côté, giron
- côtélower part of a garment that plays loosely
- gironpart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- genouxupper legs of a seated person
- gironupper legs of a seated person
- prendre un toursports, motor racing: to overtake a straggler in a race
- tour de circuitsports: one circuit around a race track
- toursports: one circuit around a race track
- laperto take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
German Schoß, Schoss
- Schoßupper legs of a seated person
- Schossupper legs of a seated person
- läppen(transitive) To polish, e.g., a surface, until smooth
- überlappen(intransitive) To lie partly on or over something; to overlap
- überrundensports, motor racing: to overtake a straggler in a race
- Rundesports: one circuit around a race track
- Platzrundesports: one circuit around a race track
- Bahnswimming: the traversal of one length of the pool
- Bahnlängeswimming: the traversal of one length of the pool
- schleckento take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
Hebrew חיק
- חיק (Cheyq)upper legs of a seated person
Hungarian szegély, öl
- szegélyedge; border; hem
- ölpart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- ölupper legs of a seated person
- ölarchaic, euphemistic: female pudenda
- elleplez(transitive) To place or lay (something) so as to overlap another
- elfed(transitive) To place or lay (something) so as to overlap another
- eltakar(transitive) To place or lay (something) so as to overlap another
- letakar(transitive) To place or lay (something) so as to overlap another
- lefed(transitive) To place or lay (something) so as to overlap another
- fedez(transitive) To place or lay (something) so as to overlap another
- csiszol(transitive) To polish, e.g., a surface, until smooth
- lecsiszol(transitive) To polish, e.g., a surface, until smooth
- políroz(transitive) To polish, e.g., a surface, until smooth
- fed(intransitive) To lie partly on or over something; to overlap
- takar(intransitive) To lie partly on or over something; to overlap
- fedez(intransitive) To lie partly on or over something; to overlap
- körsports: one circuit around a race track
- lefetyelto take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
- nyaldosto wash against a surface with a splashing sound
Icelandic kjalta, skaut
- kjaltapart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- skautupper legs of a seated person
Indonesian pangkuan, pangkuan
- pangkuanpart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- pangkuanupper legs of a seated person
Irish ucht
- uchtupper legs of a seated person
Italian grembo, grembo
- grembopart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- gremboupper legs of a seated person
- doppiaresports, motor racing: to overtake a straggler in a race
- giro di pistasports: one circuit around a race track
Japanese ひざ
- ひざ (hiza)upper legs of a seated person
Korean 무릎
- 무릎 (mureup)upper legs of a seated person
Latin gremium, gremium
- gremiumpart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- gremiumupper legs of a seated person
Latvian klēpis, opa
- klēpisupper legs of a seated person
- opaupper legs of a seated person
- opeupper legs of a seated person
- laktto take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
Malay riba
- ribapart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
Māori rauna, miti
- raunasports: one circuit around a race track
- mitito take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
Norwegian fang
- fangupper legs of a seated person
Norwegian Bokmål runde, lepje
- rundesports: one circuit around a race track
- lepjeto take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
Polish podołek, łono (na łonie Abrahama)
- podołekpart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- łono (na łonie Abrahama)upper legs of a seated person
- łonoarchaic, euphemistic: female pudenda
- okrążeniesports: one circuit around a race track
- chłeptaćto take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
- chlipaćto take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
Portuguese regaço, borda
- regaçolower part of a garment that plays loosely
- bordaedge; border; hem
- colopart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- regaçopart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- coloupper legs of a seated person
- regaçoupper legs of a seated person
- voltasports: one circuit around a race track
Romanian îmbuca
- îmbucato take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
Russian подо́л, пола́
- подо́л (podól)lower part of a garment that plays loosely
- пола́ (polá)lower part of a garment that plays loosely
- край (kraj)edge; border; hem
- коле́ни (koléni)upper legs of a seated person
- круг (krug)sports: one circuit around a race track
- лака́ть (lakátʹ)to take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
- плеска́ться (pleskátʹsja)to wash against a surface with a splashing sound
Scottish Gaelic glùn, uchd
- glùnupper legs of a seated person
- uchdupper legs of a seated person
- imlichto take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
Slovak lem, lono
- lemedge; border; hem
- lonoupper legs of a seated person
Spanish volado, dobladillo
- voladolower part of a garment that plays loosely
- dobladilloedge; border; hem
- regazopart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- faldapart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- regazoupper legs of a seated person
- faldaupper legs of a seated person
- delantalengineering, A component that overlaps or covers any portion of itself or of an adjacent component
- cubiertaengineering, A component that overlaps or covers any portion of itself or of an adjacent component
- doblarsports, motor racing: to overtake a straggler in a race
- sacar una vuelta asports, motor racing: to overtake a straggler in a race
- sacar vueltas asports, motor racing: to overtake a straggler in a race
- vueltasports: one circuit around a race track
- lengüetearto take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
- langüetearto take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
- lambiscarto take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
- lengüetadaTranslations
- lenguaradaTranslations
- lengüetazoTranslations
Swedish knä, knä
- knäpart that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- knäupper legs of a seated person
- överlappa(intransitive) To lie partly on or over something; to overlap
- varvasports, motor racing: to overtake a straggler in a race
- varvsports: one circuit around a race track
- lapato take liquid into the mouth with the tongue
Tagalog kandungan
- kandunganupper legs of a seated person
Thai ตัก, ตัก
- ตัก (dtàk)part that lies on the knees or thighs when one sits down
- ตัก (dtàk)upper legs of a seated person
Turkish kucak, tur
- kucakupper legs of a seated person
- tursports: one circuit around a race track
Rhymes & wordplay
Rhymes with lap
Anagrams
Cite this entry
lap. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lap
“lap.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lap. Accessed November 2, 2026.
WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “lap,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/lap.
Source: lap on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.