lap
lap — noun
1. the flat surface created by the top of your thighs when you sit down, where you
the flat surface created by the top of your thighs when you sit down, where you can rest objects, a book, a child, or a pet
The little girl sat quietly on her mother's lap while the story was being read.
on someone's lap
Bao balanced a bowl of noodles on his lap and ate dinner while watching television.
on his lap — holding an object
A warm towel was placed across the sleeping passenger's lap by the flight attendant.
passive: placed across someone's lap
The cat curled into a tight ball on Rania's lap and began to purr loudly.
animal on someone's lap
Adaeze spilled some juice on her lap and had to change her trousers before the meeting.
Usage Note
This sense is typically used with a possessive ('his lap', 'her lap') or in the phrase 'on someone's lap'. It is rarely used without a reference to a person.
Common Mistakes
2. a single circuit of a marked course that competitors travel around more than onc
a single circuit of a marked course that competitors travel around more than once to decide the result of a race
The Formula One driver finished the final lap three seconds faster than his nearest rival.
final lap — race context
With only two laps to go, the leading runner began to slow down from exhaustion.
laps to go
Each lap of the swimming pool measures exactly fifty metres from end to end.
lap of [place]
Théo completed the first three laps in good time but struggled on the fourth.
The race is twelve laps long, so the drivers must plan when to change their tyres carefully.
[number] laps long
Common Mistakes
3. a celebratory circuit of the playing area that the victor of a competition compl
a celebratory circuit of the playing area that the victor of a competition completes to share the win with the audience
After winning the hundred-metre race, Elena took a victory lap and waved to the cheering crowd.
victory lap
The home team ran a lap of honour around the stadium while the supporters sang the club song.
lap of honour
The champion cyclist lifted her bike above her head during her celebration lap.
celebration lap
Hyun completed a slow victory lap carrying his country's flag around the entire arena.
- victory lap
the most common term for this celebration run
- lap of honour
the British English equivalent, equally common in the UK
Usage Note
Commonly called a 'victory lap' or 'lap of honour'. The phrase 'lap of honour' is more common in British English. This sense is distinct from sense 2 (a regular race lap) because its purpose is celebration, not competition.
4. one distinct part within a longer trip, a series of tasks, or a broader activity
one distinct part within a longer trip, a series of tasks, or a broader activity, treated as a separate portion
The first lap of our road trip took us from Taipei all the way down to Kaohsiung.
lap of a journey
We have completed the design lap of the project and are ready to start building the prototype.
lap of a project
Each lap of the relay race was run by a different member of the team.
The negotiation process has entered its final lap, with only a few details left to agree on.
final lap — figurative
Lakshmi divided the cleaning work into several laps so it would feel less tiring overall.
Usage Note
This sense is used figuratively, extending the racing metaphor to non-competitive contexts like work, travel, or any step-by-step process. It is less common in everyday speech than senses 1 and 2.
Common Mistakes
5. a part of something, especially cloth, paper, or material, that folds over or li
a part of something, especially cloth, paper, or material, that folds over or lies on top of another part, or a loose piece that hangs down
The tailor carefully stitched the lap of the jacket lining so that it lay perfectly flat.
lap of a garment
There was a small lap of extra paper at the edge of the envelope that needed to be folded in.
The fabric was cut with a two-centimetre lap to allow room for the seam.
lap for a seam
When wrapping the gift, Joshua made sure each lap of the paper covered the previous edge neatly.
Usage Note
This sense is mostly used in sewing, tailoring, and crafts. It is the original historical meaning from which the 'upper legs' sense developed — the idea of a fold or flap. Modern speakers rarely encounter this use outside of technical contexts.
To give someone a problem or task that they must deal with.
My boss dropped the entire project in my lap yesterday.
Why did you dump that complaint in my lap? I'm not the manager.
To get a good opportunity without making any effort.
A scholarship to study abroad fell into Maya's lap last week.
Did that job offer really drop into your lap without applying?
When the result of a situation depends on luck or things you cannot control.
Whether we win the match is in the lap of the gods now.
The success of the mission lies in the lap of the gods.
in the lap of luxury
idiomLiving in very comfortable conditions with many expensive things.
They spent their vacation in the lap of luxury at a five-star resort.
After winning the lottery, he lived in the lap of luxury.
lap — verb
1. to pass another competitor in a race by being a full circuit ahead of them, mean
to pass another competitor in a race by being a full circuit ahead of them, meaning you have completed one more lap than they have
By the middle of the race the champion had lapped everyone else on the track twice.
lapped everyone else
The faster runners quickly lapped the slower participants who had started the race earlier.
lap + slower participants
Otis was worried that the leading cyclist would lap him before the final bend.
Although Zola was far behind, she refused to give up even after being lapped by the front runners.
passive: being lapped
Grammar Patterns
lap + person/competitor
Usage Note
This verb is almost always used in a racing context. The competitor being 'lapped' is behind by at least one full circuit. The passive form ('was lapped') is common when describing the slower competitor's experience.
Common Mistakes
2. to travel one complete distance around a track, a course, or any defined circuit
to travel one complete distance around a track, a course, or any defined circuit
The skater lapped the rink in under thirty seconds during her warm-up routine.
lapped the rink
Each runner lapped the four-hundred-metre track four times to complete the one-mile race.
lapped the [distance] track
The speedboat lapped the small lake in just a few minutes before returning to the dock.
Christopher lapped the indoor circuit twice and then checked his stopwatch for the time.
- circle
can be used for moving around something, but does not imply a race track
- circumnavigate
very formal, used for going around an island or the world
Grammar Patterns
lap + the track/course
lap + distance
Usage Note
Distinguish this from sense 1: here the object of 'lap' is the track or course itself ('lap the track'), while in sense 1 the object is another competitor ('lap someone'). This sense focuses on covering the distance rather than overtaking.
3. to take in a liquid using rapid tongue motions, the way that a cat or dog drinks
to take in a liquid using rapid tongue motions, the way that a cat or dog drinks from a bowl
The thirsty dog lapped the cool water from his bowl as soon as it was filled.
lap + liquid from bowl
A small cat sat by the puddle and lapped at the rainwater with its tiny pink tongue.
lap at + liquid
The kittens lapped up the warm milk so fast that they started sneezing from the excitement.
lap up + liquid (phrasal)
Bao watched the puppy lap noisily at the bowl, splashing water across the kitchen floor.
After the long walk in the sun, the dog lapped eagerly from the water bottle that Iris held out.
- gulp
to swallow quickly and in large amounts; the opposite of the small-tongue-stroke action
Grammar Patterns
lap + liquid
lap at + liquid
lap up + liquid
Usage Note
This verb is used almost exclusively for animals, especially cats and dogs. Using it for humans would be strange unless comparing the person to an animal. The phrasal verb 'lap up' is also used figuratively to mean 'accept eagerly' (e.g. 'He lapped up the praise').
Common Mistakes
4. (of waves, water, or a liquid) to wash against something with a soft, gentle, re
(of waves, water, or a liquid) to wash against something with a soft, gentle, repeated sound, without force or violence
The waves lapped gently against the side of the wooden boat as the sun went down.
lap against [object]
Small ripples lapped at the sandy shore where the children were building a castle.
lap at [shore/bank]
The rising tide lapped over the bottom step of the stone staircase leading to the sea.
lap over [object]
Adaeze listened to the water lapping against the hull of the sailboat as she fell asleep.
Rainwater lapped at the edges of the garden path, forming small puddles in the cracks.
- crash
strong, violent wave action — the opposite of the gentle sense of 'lap'
Grammar Patterns
lap against + object
lap at + object
lap over + object
Usage Note
This sense is most common in descriptive or literary writing. The sound of water 'lapping' is soft and rhythmic — not crashing or splashing. The subject is usually water (waves, tide, ripples) and the object is typically a shore, boat, or bank.
Common Mistakes
5. to place or arrange one thing so that it partly covers another, or to fold somet
to place or arrange one thing so that it partly covers another, or to fold something back over itself, especially cloth, paper, or building materials
The carpenter lapped the wooden boards over each other to create a strong joint.
lap [board A] over [board B]
The roof tiles were carefully lapped so that rain would run off without leaking through.
passive: were lapped
Élise lapped the edge of the fabric over the hem and pinned it in place before sewing.
lap [edge] over [part]
The sash was lapped twice around his waist and tied securely at the front.
When laying the carpet, make sure each strip laps the previous one by at least two inches.
lap [one] by [amount]
- separate
to move things apart, the opposite of laying one over another
Grammar Patterns
lap + object + over/across + object
be lapped
Usage Note
This sense is the historical root of the word 'lap' and is still used in construction, sewing, and crafts. It is rarely used in everyday conversation. The modern word 'overlap' is far more common than 'lap' in this meaning.
lap up
phrasal verbto accept or enjoy something eagerly and without question, especially praise, attention, or information
The young actor lapped up the compliments from the director after the final scene.
The audience lapped up every word of the comedian's jokes throughout the entire show.
Word family
Synonym discussion
Sense: noun/2
In racing contexts, 'lap' refers specifically to one complete trip around a defined track or course — it is the most concrete and common word for this idea. 'Circuit' can mean the same thing but often refers to the entire track layout itself ('a three-kilometre circuit') rather than one trip around it. 'Round' is broader: it is used in boxing for a timed segment of a fight, in golf for a full set of 18 holes, and in multi-stage competitions for each phase of elimination — it does not imply a circular course. 'Leg' is narrower: it refers to one section of a multi-stage race or journey where the start and end points are different, not a closed loop. For example, a runner might say 'I completed the first leg of the relay' but not 'the first leg around the track'. Use 'lap' when the course returns to its starting point; use 'leg' when the race moves from point A to point B.
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'lap' comes from Old English 'læppa', meaning a fold or flap of a garment — the part that hangs loose or overlaps another part. This original meaning survives in modern uses like 'overlap' and in tailoring. By the 1300s, the word had come to mean the area from waist to knees formed when a person sits (the fold of the body). The racing sense developed in the 1800s, based on the idea of a circuit that folds back on itself. The animal-drinking sense is unrelated and comes from Old English 'lapian', which imitates the sound of lapping water.