verb (flaps, flapping, flapped) with object

(of a bird) move (its wings) up and down when flying or preparing to fly:

〈鳥が〉羽ばたく, バタバタ飛ぶ

e.g. a pheasant flapped its wings

e.g. no object : gulls flapped around uttering their strange cries.

no object (of something attached at one point or loosely fastened) flutter or wave around:

〈旗などが〉パタパタする, はためく; 〈翼などが〉バタバタ動く; 〈腕などが〉上下に動く

e.g. the tent bent with the gale, and the corners flapped furiously.

wave (something) around or at something or someone:

〈人が〉〈腕〉を(せわしなく)上下に振る［動かす］

e.g. she flapped the duster angrily

e.g. she began flapping her arms to drive away the permeating cold.

strike or attempt to strike (something) loosely with one's hand, a cloth, or a broad implement, especially to drive it away.

(平たい物で)…をピシャリと打つ(away, off).

1. a piece of something thin, such as cloth, paper, or metal, hinged or attached only on one side, that covers an opening or hangs down from something:

フラップ, (一方を留めて)たれ下がった薄いもの; (ポケット･封筒･本のカバーなどの)折り返し; (キノコの)開いたかさ; (防寒用の)耳覆い; (テーブルの)たれ板; (帽子の)たれ縁

e.g. the flap of the envelope

e.g. he pushed through the tent flap.

a hinged or sliding section of an aircraft wing used to control lift:

〘空〙 (飛行機の)フラップ, 下げ翼.

e.g. flaps are normally moved by the hydraulics

e.g. a final approach at sixty knots with 45° of flap.

2. a movement of a wing or an arm from side to side or up and down:

〖通例単数形で〗(旗･翼などの)パタパタする音［動き］, はためき.

e.g. the surviving bird made a few final despairing flaps.

3. in singular informal a state of agitation; a panic:

｟主に英｠ パニック, 興奮［恐慌］状態(panic)

e.g. they're in a flap over who's going to take Henry's lectures.

4. a large broad mushroom.

5. Phonetics a type of consonant produced by allowing the tip of the tongue to strike the alveolar ridge very briefly.

〘音声〙 弾音

flappy adjective

Middle English: probably imitative.