noun

lapping

LA-pihng

noun

The soft, repeated sound of water gently striking a surface, such as waves against a shore or boat.

"She fell asleep to the sound of water lapping against the hull."

"The only noise on the lake was the lapping of small waves on the rocks."

A technique for polishing or smoothing a metal surface using fine abrasive.

"The engineer used lapping to get a mirror-smooth finish on the valve seat."

In accounting, a fraud method where a thief covers up stolen money by shuffling later customer payments to hide the gap.

"The audit uncovered a lapping scheme the clerk had run for over a year."

How to Use Lapping

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishMost commonly the gentle splash of water against something, though it also has specialist meanings in metalworking and fraud.

Common mistake

Don't confuse the everyday "lapping water" sense with the technical accounting-fraud sense — context makes it obvious which is meant.

Common pairings

lapping waves lapping sound lapping scheme

lappings plural

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Can you complete this real example?

She fell asleep to the sound of water _____ against the hull.

mapping rapping tapping yapping zapping napping flapping wrapping trapping slapping clapping snapping