Lap | Webster's Dictionary (1865)

Lāp, n.

noun

n. [A-S. læppa, lappa, D. & Dan. lap, Sw. lapp, Icel. lappi, O. H. Ger. & O. L. Ger. lappā, L. Ger. lappe, N. H. Ger. lappen.]

Sense 1. The loose part of a coat; the lower part of a garment that plays loosely; an apron.

Sense 2. The part of the clothing that lies on the knees when a person sits down; that part of the body thus covered.

Men expect that happiness should drop into their laps. Tillotson.

Sense 3. That part of any substance or fixture which extends over or lies upon another; as, the lap of a board; also, an edge; a border or hem.

At first he tells a lie with some shame and reluctancy. . . . For then, if he cuts off but a lap of truth’s garment, his heart smites him. Fuller.

Sense 4. (Mach.) A piece of brass, lead, or other soft metal, used to hold a cutting or polishing powder in cutting glass, gems, and the like, or in polishing cutlery, &c. It is usually in the form of a wheel or disk, which revolves rapidly.

Sense 5. (Steam-eng.) The amount by which a slide-valve, at its half-stroke, overlaps a steam-port, either internally or externally.

☞ When used alone, it means outside-lap, or lap on the steam side. Inside-lap means lap on the exhaust side.

Lăp, v. t.

verbtransitive

[imp. & p. p. LAPPED (lăpt); p. pr. & vb. n. LAPPING.]

To fold; to bend and lay over or on; as, to lap a piece of cloth.
To wrap or twist round.

I lapped a slender thread about the paper. Newton. 3. To infold; to involve. He lappeth all things in love. Latimer. Her garment spreads, and laps him in the folds. Dryden.

(Mach.) To cut or polish with a lap, as glass, gems, cutlery, &c.
To lay one thing partly over another.

To lap boards, shingles, &c., to lay one partly over another.

Lāp, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. To be spread or laid on or over; to lie and rest upon; to be turned over or upon.

The upper wings are opacous; at their hinder ends, where they lap over, transparent, like the wing of a fly. Green.

Lăp, v. i.

verbintransitive

v. i. [A-S. lapian, lappian, L. Ger. lappen, O. D. lappen, lapen, labben, Icel. lepia, Dan. labe, O. H. Ger. laffan, allied to Gr. λάπτειν, Lat. lambere, W. llepian; whence Fr. laper, Pr. lepar, Catalan llepar, Prov. It. lappare.

Sense 1. To take up liquor or food with the tongue; to feed or drink by licking.

The dogs by the River Nilus’s side, being thirsty, lap hastily as they run along the shore. Digby.

Sense 2. To make a sound like that produced by taking up drink with the tongue.

I heard the ripple washing in the reeds, And the wild waters lapping on the crag. Tennyson.

Lăp, v. t.

verbtransitive

v. t. To take into the mouth with the tongue; to lick up. They'll take suggestion as a cat laps milk. Shak.