klap, noun1

Forms:
Formerly also klopje.
Plurals:
klaps, occasionally klappe/ˈklapə/.
Origin:
Afrikaans, DutchShow more Afrikaans (plural klappe), from Dutch klop a blow, a stroke.
colloquial
A blow, cuff, or slap. Also Englished form clap.
1838 J.E. Alexander Exped. into Int. II. 299One discontented farmer said..‘If I give a kloppé (klopje, or a little blow) to a slave, he immediately runs off to a magistrate and complains’.
1897 H.A. Bryden Victorian Era in S. Afr. 7 (Pettman)When I get home I cannot help giving the Hottentot another klopje, when I am fined £10.
1913 C. Pettman Africanderisms 269Klopje, (D. klop, a knock.) A hit or blow.
1960 C. Hooper Brief Authority 236‘Hell!’ said the policeman under his breath, greatly to the delight of the twenty-five accused, ‘I’ll give that man such a klap!’
1965 E. Mphahlele Down Second Ave 47‘But Blacks are Blacks and whites are whites all over.’ ‘But I am telling you the whites do the thinking here.’ ‘Like the one that gave me a hot clap at the market this morning?’
1969 A. Fugard Boesman & Lena 12Just now you get a bloody good klap!
1976 M. Tholo in C. Hermer Diary of Maria Tholo (1980) 73One of the teachers was found writing on the board, so they gave her a few claps and said, ‘Next time you take heed of warnings’.
1982 Daily Dispatch 31 Mar. 6A T-shirt with the AWB emblem. ‘It looks like a swastika that’s had a klap,’ he declared, holding up the shirt for the House to see.
1988 S. Sole in Style Apr. 49Me and the foreman had words. I gave him a couple of klappe and we went to our caravan.
1989 D. Capel in Personality 16 Oct. 10Some computers never grow up. They deserve a fat klap right where it hurts most.
1991 Weekly Mail 30 Aug. 11The white workers were much disgruntled..about Moolman giving one of the workers the occasional ‘klap’.
1993 Weekly Mail & Guardian 23 Dec. 8Keeping his wig on after the televised klap from one of Eugene Terreblanche’s Ystergaarde.
A blow, cuff, or slap. Also Englished form clap.
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18381993