slap
slap — noun
1. a hit using the flat of your palm or any wide object, landing on a person or a s
a hit using the flat of your palm or any wide object, landing on a person or a surface
Selim gave his friend a playful slap on the shoulder after the joke.
collocation: a slap on [body part]
The wet towel landed on the floor with a loud slap.
sound of a flat object hitting a surface
Aoi felt a sharp slap on her cheek and turned around in shock.
Linh could hear the slap of the waves against the side of the boat.
metaphorical use for water hitting a surface
- a slap on the face
- a slap on the back
- a loud slap
- a hard slap
- a playful slap
- caress
a gentle, loving touch with the hand
Grammar Patterns
give someone a slap
receive a slap
Usage Note
This sense can describe either an intentional physical blow or the sound that results from a flat impact. The collocation 'a slap on the + body part' is the most common syntactic pattern.
Common Mistakes
2. a remark or event that makes someone feel insulted, rejected, or personally atta
a remark or event that makes someone feel insulted, rejected, or personally attacked, as if they have been struck in a disrespectful way
Not being invited to the wedding was a real slap in the face for Kemi.
Luca took the criticism as a slap at his years of hard work.
collocation: a slap at [something]
The company's decision felt like a slap to everyone who had helped build it.
Owen viewed the low salary offer as a direct slap after his excellent interview.
- a slap in the face
- a direct slap
- a real slap
- a slap at
- compliment
an expression of praise or admiration
Grammar Patterns
a slap in the face
a slap on the wrist
Usage Note
See also noun sense 4 for the milder idiom 'a slap on the wrist'. The phrase 'a slap in the face' is a fixed idiom; 'a slap at [something]' is a less common variant. Subject is usually the disappointing event or remark.
Common Mistakes
3. a light strike on a person's back with an open palm, used as a positive gesture
a light strike on a person's back with an open palm, used as a positive gesture to celebrate an achievement or show support
After the goal, Caio gave his teammate a hearty slap on the back.
collocation: a slap on the back
The coach greeted each player with a slap on the back and a big smile.
Sivan received slaps on the back from everyone at the office after the deal closed.
Selim clapped his friend on the shoulder with a friendly slap after the race.
- a slap on the back
- a hearty slap
- a friendly slap
- pat on the back
gentler and usually less forceful than a slap on the back; can also be purely metaphorical
Grammar Patterns
give someone a slap on the back
Usage Note
Typically occurs in the fixed pattern 'a slap on the back'. The action is positive and encouraging, unlike the aggressive sense in noun sense 1. The verb form 'to slap someone on the back' is also common.
4. a small punishment or gentle criticism that is much lighter than what might be e
a small punishment or gentle criticism that is much lighter than what might be expected, intended to correct without causing serious harm
The judge gave the teenager a slap on the wrist instead of a prison sentence.
idiom: a slap on the wrist
The school treated the bullying incident with only a slap on the wrist, which angered parents.
Christopher worried that a simple warning would be just a slap on the wrist for such a serious mistake.
Many people felt the fine was nothing more than a slap on the wrist for the company.
- a slap on the wrist
- just a slap on the wrist
- nothing more than a slap on the wrist
- punishment
in a general sense; a slap on the wrist is a deliberately weak punishment
- crackdown
severe measures against wrongdoing
Grammar Patterns
a slap on the wrist
Usage Note
Almost always used in the fixed idiom 'a slap on the wrist'. Frequently carries a critical tone — the speaker thinks the punishment is too light. Cannot be used literally; it is always figurative.
Common Mistakes
5. an informal UK word for the coloured creams, powders, and other products people
an informal UK word for the coloured creams, powders, and other products people apply to their face to change or improve their appearance
Élise always puts on her slap before going to a party.
informal UK register: 'slap' for make-up
Kevin's mum told him to wipe off that cheap slap before dinner.
Zuri left her slap on the bathroom shelf and forgot to pack it for the night out.
informal UK slang: 'slap' for make-up
Linh rummaged through her bag looking for her slap before the photo.
- put on slap
- wear slap
- cheap slap
- fresh slap
Usage Note
This sense is informal and primarily used in UK English. It is not considered offensive but can sound dated or working-class. Not used in formal writing. The word 'make-up' is preferred in most contexts.
Common Mistakes
a slap in the face
idioman event or remark that insults or shocks someone, especially when they expected support or kindness
After years of service, being passed over for promotion was a real slap in the face for Sahil.
a slap on the wrist
idioma punishment that is much too mild for the offence committed
The committee gave the director a slap on the wrist for the financial mistake.
slap — adverb
1. used to emphasise that something is in an exact position, often in the middle of
used to emphasise that something is in an exact position, often in the middle of a place or situation, and sometimes with a sense of sudden impact
The car stopped slap bang in the middle of the road.
idiom: slap bang in the middle
Maria's house is slap next to the noisy train station.
The new shopping centre was built slap in the middle of the old park.
pattern: slap in the middle of
His desk sat slap opposite the director's office door.
Joon and Mira found the keys slap bang in the middle of the table where everyone had looked.
idiom: slap bang in the middle
- slap in the middle
- slap bang
- slap next to
- slap opposite
Grammar Patterns
slap in the middle/centre of
slap bang
Usage Note
Informal adverb; more common in British English than American. Often paired with 'bang' in the compound 'slap bang'. Commonly appears with location phrases (middle, centre, next to, opposite).
Common Mistakes
slap — verb
1. to strike a person or thing using an open hand or a flat object, usually making
to strike a person or thing using an open hand or a flat object, usually making a sharp sound and often as an expression of anger, playfulness, or emphasis
Sahil slapped the table to get everyone's attention.
Luca's mother gently slapped his hand away from the hot stove.
Caio laughed and slapped his knee at the funny story.
pattern: slap + body part
The goalkeeper slapped the ball over the net.
Outraged by the comment, Kemi slapped the man across the face.
pattern: slap + someone + across the face
- slap someone's face
- slap the table
- slap across the face
- slap on the back
- slap down
- stroke
to move a hand gently across a surface
Grammar Patterns
slap + object + on + body part
slap + object + across/in/on
Usage Note
Usually transitive. The object can be a person, a body part, or a surface. The pattern 'slap someone across the face' is particularly common in narrative contexts. Less forceful than 'punch' (which uses a fist) or 'hit' (which is more general).
Common Mistakes
2. to drop, place, or throw something onto a surface quickly and roughly, often bec
to drop, place, or throw something onto a surface quickly and roughly, often because you are annoyed, in a hurry, or do not care about being neat
Owen slapped his bag onto the chair and walked straight to the kitchen.
The chef slapped a piece of fish onto the grill without looking up.
Selim slapped his money on the counter and left the shop in anger.
pattern: slap + object + on + surface
Élise slapped a coat of paint on the wall just before the guests arrived.
metaphorical: slap + paint on
Instead of a proper meal, they slapped some sandwiches together for lunch.
phrasal: slap together
- slap onto
- slap on the table
- slap together
- slap down
- slap a coat of
- place
to put something down gently and carefully
Grammar Patterns
slap + object + on/onto + surface
Usage Note
Informal and often implies carelessness or haste. The object is typically dropped or placed on a hard horizontal surface (table, counter, floor). The phrasal verbs 'slap on' (apply hastily) and 'slap together' (make quickly without care) derive from this sense.
Common Mistakes
3. to hit or be hit against a surface, creating a noise like the sound of an open h
to hit or be hit against a surface, creating a noise like the sound of an open hand striking something
The wet flag slapped against the pole in the strong wind.
intransitive: slap against [surface]
Rainwater slapped against the kitchen window all night long.
Aoi watched the loose rope slap against the side of the boat.
Sivan let the wet netting slap into the water as she pulled it from the lake.
transitive use: slap + object + into
- slap against
- slap into
- slap the water
Grammar Patterns
slap against + surface
slap into + object
Usage Note
Can be used intransitively (something slaps against a surface) or transitively (someone slaps something against a surface). The subject of the intransitive use is usually something long and loose (rope, flag, hair) or a moving fluid (water, rain). Frequently found in descriptive writing.
slap on
phrasal verbto apply or put something onto a surface quickly and without care
Christopher slapped on some sun cream and ran out to the beach.
slap together
phrasal verbto make or prepare something in a hurry, without much care or effort
We only had ten minutes to slap together a meal before the guests arrived.
slap down
phrasal verbto put something on a surface with force, or to stop someone from speaking or acting in a rude way
The officer slapped down his report and glared at the team.
slap about
phrasal verbTo hit someone repeatedly with an open hand, often in a rough or violent way.
The bully slapped the smaller boy about until a teacher stopped him.
Did the coach really slap the players about during practice?
slap around
phrasal verbTo hit someone several times with an open hand, usually to punish or hurt them.
The angry man slapped his son around for breaking the window.
Maya threatened to slap him around if he lied again.
Word family
- slappingadjective
- slappernoun
Synonym discussion
Sense: verb/1
All four words describe hitting someone or something with the hand, but they differ in hand shape, target area, and connotation. 'Slap' uses an open palm and is often directed at the face, arm, or a surface; it can be playful ('slap on the back') or aggressive ('slap across the face'). 'Smack' is very similar in meaning but often sounds slightly more informal and can be used for loud, hard contact ('the book smacked the floor'). 'Spank' is specific to hitting the buttocks, usually as punishment for a child, and almost never appears in non-punishment contexts. 'Whack' implies a harder, more forceful swing and can be delivered with an open hand, a fist, or even an object; it carries a sense of sudden force ('whack the ball with the bat'). For everyday use, 'slap' is the most versatile. In a literal hitting context: 'She slapped his face' (with palm) vs 'She spanked the child' (on bottom) vs 'He whacked the table with his fist' (hard, with full force).
Common collocations
Etymology
The word 'slap' probably comes from a Low German or Dutch word 'slap' meaning a blow with the flat hand. It entered English around the 1600s as both a noun and a verb. The sound of the word itself imitates the noise of a flat object striking a surface — a type of word called onomatopoeic. Over time, the physical sense expanded into figurative uses such as 'a slap in the face' (an insult) and 'a slap on the wrist' (a mild punishment), and also developed into an adverb meaning 'directly' or 'right' (as in 'slap in the middle').