flapping

Plural: flappings

Noun

• the motion made by flapping up and down
• An instance where one flaps.
• A phonological process found in many dialects of English, especially American English and Canadian English, by which intervocalic /t/ and /d/ surface as the alveolar flap [ɾ] before an unstressed syllable, so that words such as "metal" and "medal" are pronounced similarly or identically.
• The situation where a resource, a network destination, etc., is advertised as being available and then unavailable (or available by different routes) in rapid succession.
• The unlicensed racing of horses or greyhounds.

Verb

• move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion
• move noisily
• move with a thrashing motion
• move with a flapping motion
  • "The bird's wings were flapping"
• make a fuss; be agitated
• pronounce with a flap, of alveolar sounds
• present participle and gerund of flap

Adj

• that flaps or flap

Adjective

• Present participle of 'flap'; waving or swinging loosely.

Examples

• flapping sails
• The FLAPPING sound of the dictionary pages indicated someone was challenging a word.

Synonyms

beat, dither, flap, flutter, fluttering, pother, roll, undulate, wave

Anagrams of flapping