flapping

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flap

(flăp)

a. A projecting or hanging piece usually attached to something on one side and often intended to protect or cover: the flap of an envelope.

b. Either of the folded ends of a book jacket that fit inside the front and back covers.

c. A variable control surface on the trailing edge of an aircraft wing, used primarily to increase lift or drag.

d. Medicine A piece of tissue that has been partially detached and used in surgical grafting to fill an adjacent defect or cover the cut end of a bone after amputation.

a. The act of waving or fluttering: the flap of the flag in the wind.

b. The sound produced by this motion.

3. Linguistics A sound articulated by a single, quick touch of the tongue against the teeth or alveolar ridge, as (t) in water. Also called tap¹.

4. Informal A commotion or disturbance: a flap in Congress over the defense budget.

5. Archaic A blow given with something flat; a slap.

v. flapped, flap·ping, flaps

v.tr.

1. To move (wings or arms, for example) up and down.

2. To cause to move or sway with a fluttering or waving motion: The wind is flapping the tent fly.

3. To cause to strike against something: flapped the paper on the table.

v.intr.

a. To move wings or the arms up and down.

b. To fly by beating the air with the wings: The crow flapped away.

2. To move or sway while fixed at one edge or corner; flutter: banners flapping in the breeze.

[Middle English flappe, slap.]

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition. Copyright © 2016 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. All rights reserved.

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Noun

flapping - the motion made by flapping up and down

fluttering, flap, flutter

undulation, wave - (physics) a movement up and down or back and forth

References in classic literature ?

It was while they were thus engaged that Brady's attention was attracted by the dismal flapping of huge wings.

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Mimes, in the form of God on high, Mutter and mumble low, And hither and thither fly - Mere puppets they, who come and go At bidding of vast formless things That shift the scenery to and fro, Flapping from out their Condor wings Invisible Wo !

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The noises that used to frighten me out of my wits, the flapping against the windows, the distant voices which seemed so close to me, the harsh sounds that came from I know not where and commanded me to do I know not what, have all ceased.

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Suddenly a gust of wind beat violently against the casement of the window, from which the double frame had been removed (by order of the prince, one window frame was removed in each room as soon as the larks returned), and, forcing open a loosely closed latch, set the damask curtain flapping and blew out the candle with its chill, snowy draft.

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The kerchief immediately began to flutter wildly, now clinging round the shaft, now suddenly streaming out, stretching and flapping.

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This welcome was answered by the flapping of a handkerchief and the shrill "Rah!

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I gazed entranced, till the boat ran into the wind and the flapping sail warned me I was not attending to my duties.