1. The motion made by flapping up and down
   "the sudden flapping of the startled pigeons";
   - flap, flutter, fluttering
    
2. (phonology) 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 before an unstressed syllable, so that words such as "metal" and "medal" are pronounced similarly or identically
   "The linguist explained how flapping makes 'latter' and 'ladder' sound the same in American English"

1. (of wings) move up and down with a thrashing motion
   "The bird flapped its wings";
   - beat
    
2. Move in a wavy pattern or with a rising and falling motion
   "the waves flapped towards the beach";
   - roll, undulate, wave
    
3. Move with a flapping motion
   "The bird's wings were flapping";
   - beat
    
4. To flutter noisily when moved by the wind
   "flags flapped in the strong wind"
    
5. Make a fuss; be agitated
   "He flapped about uselessly during the crisis";
   - dither, pother
    
6. Pronounce with a flap, of alveolar sounds
   "In American English, the 't' in 'water' is often flapped"

Derived forms: flappings

Type of: articulate, beat, displace, enounce [archaic], enunciate, fret, fuss, move, niggle, pound, pronounce, say, sound out, thump, undulation, wave

Encyclopedia: Flapping