lap
B1Neutral (all senses), Semi-formal (e.g., racing lap), Informal (e.g., lap up).
Definition
Meaning
The top surface of the upper legs of a seated person.
The noun also refers to: one circuit of a racetrack; the act of drinking liquid by lifting with the tongue. The verb can mean: to overtake a competitor on a track, placing them a lap behind; to drink by licking; to wash or splash gently against something.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
Highly polysemous. The primary meaning (body part) is concrete and frequent. The racing/competition sense is derived, as is the 'circuit' sense (lap of honour). The verb sense 'to drink' is often used with 'up' for animals or metaphorically for people (lap up praise). The 'wash gently' sense (waves lap) is poetic/descriptive.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant differences in core meaning. The racing term is equally common. Minor spelling in derived terms: 'lapdog' (both), 'laptop' (both).
Connotations
Identical. 'In the lap of luxury' is equally idiomatic. 'Lap' as verb for drinking is slightly more graphic/childlike/animal-related.
Frequency
Comparably frequent. The body part sense is daily vocabulary. The racing sense is common in sports contexts.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
[V] + [Obj] (The cat lapped the milk.)[V] + [Adv] (Waves lapped against the shore.)[V] + [Obj] + [Adv] (He lapped the milk up eagerly.)[V] + [Obj] (The champion lapped the slowest car.)Vocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “in the lap of the gods”
- “in the lap of luxury”
- “drop/fall into someone's lap”
- “lap of honour”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Rare. Possibly in metaphors: 'The new product was lapped up by consumers.'
Academic
Rare in core meaning. Technical in engineering ('lap joint') or sports science ('lap times').
Everyday
Very common for body part ('sat on my lap'), common in sports news ('win by a lap'), common verb for cats/dogs.
Technical
Precise in motor racing/track athletics (timing laps). In engineering/woodworking (lap joint). In geology (lapilli).
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The dog lapped water from its bowl.
- Hamilton managed to lap half the grid.
- The waves lapped at the pebbles.
American English
- The kitten lapped up the spilled milk.
- She was so fast she lapped her nearest competitor.
- Water lapped gently against the dock posts.
adverb
British English
- N/A - 'lap' is not an adverb.
- N/A
- N/A
American English
- N/A - 'lap' is not an adverb.
- N/A
- N/A
adjective
British English
- N/A - 'lap' is not a standard adjective. Derived: 'lap-top computer'.
- N/A
- N/A
American English
- N/A - 'lap' is not a standard adjective. Derived: 'lap-style belt'.
- N/A
- N/A
Examples
By CEFR Level
- The baby sat on her mother's lap.
- My cat likes to sleep in my lap.
- He completed the final lap in record time.
- The dog lapped the water quickly.
- The audience lapped up every word of the exciting story.
- After his victory, he took a lap of honour.
- The economic good fortune fell into their laps purely by chance.
- The lead runner had lapped all but three of the competitors by the halfway point.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Imagine a cat sitting on your LAP, LAPping up milk, after running a LAP around the garden.
Conceptual Metaphor
COMPETITION IS A CIRCUIT (to be ahead by a lap). ACCEPTANCE/EAGERNESS IS DRINKING (to lap up information). COMFORT/LUXURY IS A PLACE (the lap of luxury).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Do not confuse with 'лапа' (paw).
- The racing 'lap' is not 'круг' in all contexts (e.g., 'win by a lap' = 'опередить на круг').
- Verb 'to lap' (drink) is specifically for tongue action, not general drinking.
Common Mistakes
- *'She put the book in her lap.' (Correct: 'on her lap').
- Confusing 'lap' (race) with 'loop' (more general).
- Using 'lap' as a verb for people drinking normally (sounds odd; used for animals or metaphor).
Practice
Quiz
In the idiom 'in the lap of luxury', what does 'lap' metaphorically represent?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
No. While the primary noun refers to a seated person's upper legs, it's also used for animals (e.g., 'on the dog's lap' is unusual but 'in a person's lap' includes pets). The verb is commonly used for animals drinking.
As verbs, both involve the tongue. 'Lap' specifically means to drink a liquid by taking it up with quick movements of the tongue. 'Lick' is broader: to pass the tongue over something (a surface, an ice cream), not necessarily to drink.
Not typically. 'Lap' in the overtaking sense is almost exclusively used for circuit racing, running, or swimming, where competitors are on the same closed loop track. You wouldn't say you 'lapped' someone on the motorway.
It's a compound noun. A 'laptop' computer is designed to be used on top of a person's lap, as opposed to a 'desktop' computer.