clapper
C1Informal, Technical
Definition
Meaning
The part of a bell that swings to strike the bell and produce sound.
1) A person or thing that claps; 2) The moving part inside a camera that controls exposure; 3) A component in old railway signalling equipment; 4) A slang term for the tongue (chiefly in 'like the clappers' to mean very fast or hard).
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The term spans from a highly specific technical part (of a bell) to a core component in idioms. Its informal slang use is chiefly British and found in the fixed phrase 'like the clappers'.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
British English uses 'clapper' in the idiom 'like the clappers' (very fast/hard). This idiom is rare in American English. The technical meanings (bell, camera) are common to both.
Connotations
In British informal use, it connotes speed and energy. In American English, it is almost exclusively a technical term without strong informal connotations.
Frequency
Far more frequent in British English due to the common idiom. In American English, it's a low-frequency technical term.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[the clapper] of [a bell][run/work] like the clappersN (as object)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Like the clappers (BrE): very fast or hard. 'She ran like the clappers.'”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare, except in manufacturing contexts for bell or component parts.
Academic
Used in historical, musicological, or engineering texts describing bell mechanisms or early cinema (clapperboard).
Everyday
In BrE, almost exclusively in the idiom 'like the clappers'. In AmE, very rare in everyday conversation.
Technical
Precise term for the internal striker of a bell; also in film production (clapperboard) and some mechanical engineering contexts.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The bell was silent because its clapper was missing.
- After the film director shouted 'action!', the assistant snapped the clapperboard shut.
- The old railway signal used a loud clapper mechanism to warn of an approaching train.
- (BrE) When the alarm went off, he bolted out of bed like the clappers.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think of a bell going CLAP-CLAP; the part that does the clapping is the CLAPPER.
Conceptual Metaphor
SPEED IS FORCEFUL IMPACT (in 'like the clappers').
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'хлопушка' (a toy or photographic reflector). The closest technical equivalent for a bell is 'язык (колокола)'. The idiom 'like the clappers' has no direct equivalent and means 'очень быстро/сильно'.
Common Mistakes
- Using 'clapper' to mean a person who applauds (use 'clapper' is very rare for this; 'one who claps' is clearer). Confusing 'clapper' with 'clapperboard' (the film slate).
Practice
Quiz
What is the primary, non-idiomatic meaning of 'clapper'?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
It is a low-frequency word in its technical sense. The British idiom 'like the clappers' is relatively common in informal UK speech.
Theoretically, yes (one who claps), but this is very rare and likely to be misunderstood. It is not a standard term for an applauding person.
A 'clapper' is the part of a bell. A 'clapperboard' (or slate) is a device used in filmmaking to synchronise picture and sound, which contains a hinged 'clapper' that is snapped shut.
No, this idiom is almost exclusively British. An American might say 'like crazy' or 'like a bat out of hell' with a similar meaning.