noun
lapping
LA-pihng
Lapping (noun) means the soft, repeated sound of water gently striking a surface, such as waves against a shore or boat. Example: “She fell asleep to the sound of water lapping against the hull.”
noun
1
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."
2
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."
3
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 notesIn 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
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Word forms
- Plural
- lappings
Fill the gap
Can you complete this real example?
She fell asleep to the sound of water _____ against the hull.
Etymology
Comes from Middle English lappinge, wlappynge, equivalent to lap plus -ing.
Synonyms
View more →Related words
Rhymes for lapping
mapping
rapping
tapping
yapping
zapping
napping
flapping
wrapping
trapping
slapping
clapping
snapping
See all rhymes for lapping →
Frequently asked questions
What does “lapping” mean?
The word “lapping” means the soft, repeated sound of water gently striking a surface, such as waves against a shore or boat. In plain terms, most commonly the gentle splash of water against something, though it also has specialist meanings in metalworking and fraud.
How do you pronounce “lapping”?
“Lapping” is pronounced LA-pihng (/ˈlæpɪŋ/ in IPA).
How do you use “lapping” in a sentence?
Here is “lapping” used in a sentence: “She fell asleep to the sound of water lapping against the hull.”
What part of speech is “lapping”?
“Lapping” is a noun.
How many meanings does “lapping” have?
“Lapping” has 3 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: the soft, repeated sound of water gently striking a surface, such as waves against a shore or boat.
