lapping

Plurallappings

1. 1
   verb

   Present participle of lap. Use this form for an action happening right now.

   The cat is lapping milk from a bowl on the floor.

   Small waves were lapping against the rocks all night.

   Note
2. 2
   nouncountable or uncountable

   The soft, repeated sound of water hitting the side of something solid.

   Like the soft sound water makes when it touches the edge of a pool.

   The lapping of the lake against the dock helped her fall asleep.

   We heard a gentle lapping as the tide came in.

   Similarsplashing, wash

3. 3
   noununcountable

   The careful rubbing of a metal surface to make it smooth.

   Like rubbing a rough stone with sandpaper until it feels perfectly smooth.

   The lapping of the engine parts gave them a mirror-smooth finish.

   Careful lapping removed the last tiny scratches from the blade.

   Similarpolishing, honing

4. 4
   noununcountable

   A kind of theft hidden by delaying payments or shifting them between customers' accounts.

   Like using each new loan to pay back the last one so no one notices the money is gone.

   The bookkeeper used lapping to cover up the cash she had taken.

   Auditors spotted the lapping when customer payments kept arriving late.

   Note
5. 5
   noununcountable

   The making of loose fibers into a flat, even layer to feed a carding machine.

   Like rolling out dough into a flat, even sheet before cutting it.

   Lapping turns the raw cotton into an even sheet before carding.

   The mill workers oversaw the lapping of the wool fibers.

6. 6
   noununcountable

   A kind of cloth wrapped around a machine roller in fabric printing.

   Like the soft pad under a tablecloth that protects the table.

   The printer replaced the worn lapping on the press.

   A fresh piece of lapping cushioned the cloth as it passed through.

   Note
7. 7
   noununcountable

   The rubbing away of the metal ridges inside a rifled gun barrel to make the bore wider.

   Like sanding the inside of a tube to make it smooth and a little wider.

   Lapping smoothed the inside of the rifle barrel.

   The gunsmith used lapping to widen the worn bore.

   Note
8. 8
   noununcountable

   Thin silk, wire, or whalebone wound tightly around a bow stick next to the grip.

   Like the tape wrapped around a tennis racket handle where you hold it.

   The new lapping on the violin bow felt smooth under her fingers.

   Years of playing had worn down the lapping near the grip.

   Similarwinding

   Note

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