flapped

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive or intransitive

   moved up and down or from side to side quickly, especially like a bird's wings or loose material in the wind.

   Grammar: Can be used with or without an object: The bird flapped its wings. The flag flapped in the wind.

   Patterns

   • flap something
   • flap in the wind
   • flap about

   The duck flapped its wings and took off from the pond.

   The curtains flapped wildly in the open window.

   The sails flapped noisily as the boat turned into the wind.

2. 2verbintransitiveinformal

   became anxious, confused, or excited, often in a way that makes it hard to think clearly.

   Grammar: No object; often used in informal British English: Don't flap!

   Patterns

   • flap about something
   • flap over something

   She flapped when she realized she'd left her passport at home.

   The team flapped after conceding an early goal.

   There's no need to flap; we still have plenty of time.

Word forms

Common combinations

flap its wings

The eagle flapped its wings and soared into the sky.

flap in the wind

The plastic sheet flapped in the wind all night.

flap about

Stop flapping about and sit down.

flap over

He flapped over the exam results for days.

Synonyms and how they differ

flutter

Flutter suggests a lighter, faster movement, often of small wings or paper; flap is used for larger, more powerful up-and-down movements.

wave

Wave means to move smoothly to and fro, especially in the air or water; flap is more jerky and up-and-down.

panic

Panic is stronger and more serious than flap; flap is milder and often means being flustered.

Word family

flap noun

A piece of something that hangs down or moves up and down, like a flap on an envelope.

flappy adjective

Loose and moving in a flapping way, as in flappy clothes.

Commonly confused: flapped or flopped?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “flapped”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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