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

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

Word forms

lappings plural

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

Etymology

From Middle English lappinge, wlappynge, equivalent to lap + -ing.

Origin: Middle English

Synonyms

View more →

overlapping imbrication

Related words

crossed overlapping imbrication

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.

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