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Dictionary

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., lapped, lap•ping,
—n.

—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., lapped, lap•ping,
—n.

—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. lap up,
a. Informal.to receive enthusiastically: The audience lapped up his monologue.
b. 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.