What does clapped mean?
"Clapped" is the past tense and past participle of the verb "clap", a word rooted deep in Old English. Its most familiar sense describes striking the palms of the hands together, most often to express approval or appreciation: audiences clapped at concerts, ceremonies, and speeches. But the word extends well beyond applause. It can describe any sharp blow delivered with a flat hand or object — she clapped a lid on the pot — or a brisk, decisive action, as in clapping a hand on a friend's shoulder in greeting. In legal and historical contexts, "clapped in irons" or "clapped in jail" vividly conveys sudden, forceful confinement. The word's brevity and percussive sound mirror its meaning, making it one of those satisfying examples where a word's phonetics echo its sense. Informally, particularly in Britain, related expressions like "clapped out" describe anything exhausted or beyond repair, extending the idea of a word built on impact.
verbPast tense and past participle of "clap": to strike the palms of the hands together repeatedly, especially to show approval, or to strike something sharply with the hand or an object.
- Struck the palms together repeatedly, as in applause.
- Struck or hit sharply with the hand or a flat object.
- Placed or put down quickly and firmly (e.g., 'clapped a hand on his shoulder').
- Confined or imprisoned suddenly ('clapped in jail'); chiefly in this fixed phrase.
"The audience clapped enthusiastically as the curtain fell."
"The whole theatre clapped for nearly five minutes after the final scene."
"The referee was clapped in a storm of protest from the home crowd."
In British slang, a car that's "clapped out" has literally been slapped to death by years of hard use — and "clapped eyes on" dates back centuries as a way of saying you finally saw something.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of clapped
"Clapped" derives from the Old English verb "clæppan", meaning to thump or slap, which belongs to a family of Germanic words imitative of sharp striking sounds. Related forms appear across the Germanic languages, such as Middle Dutch "klappen" and Old Norse "klappa", reflecting the word's onomatopoeic character. The English noun "clapboard", denoting a thin wooden board, entered through Dutch settlers in America from the same root, preserving the link between striking and splitting wood.
Related word forms
How clapped is actually used
As a verb form, it carries both neutral and positive connotations depending on context — applause is warm, but being 'clapped in irons' is punitive. In informal British usage, the derived adjective 'clapped' (or 'clapped out') means broken-down or exhausted, though this slang sense is distinct and register-specific.
Easily confused with clapped
"Clamped" means fastened or gripped tightly with a device, while "clapped" means struck with the hands or slapped into place.