lap

The top of your upper legs when you are sitting down.

• The cat sat on my lap.
• She held the baby in her lap.
• He balanced a notebook on his lap.

How to use it: on someone’s lap (The child sat on her father’s lap.)

Common phrases: on someone’s lap, in someone’s lap, sit on someone’s lap

One complete trip around a track or along a swimming pool.

• I ran one lap.
• She completed ten laps of the pool.
• Who was leading on the final lap?

How to use it: a lap of something (He ran a lap of the track.)

Similar words: circuit

Common phrases: final lap, lap time, run a lap, swim a lap

The part of one piece of material that lies over another piece.

• The lap must be wide enough.
• Water leaked through the lap between the sheets.
• The builder sealed each lap on the roof.

Similar words: overlap

Common phrases: lap joint, sheet lap, lap width

If an animal does this, it drinks by repeatedly touching liquid with its tongue.

• The cat lapped the milk.
• A thirsty dog lapped water from the bowl.
• The kittens lap up their milk every morning.

How to use it: lap something up (The kitten lapped the milk up.); lap something from something (The dog lapped water from a dish.)

Similar words: lick up

Common phrases: lap up milk, lap the water, lap from something

To bend a piece of material so that one part lies over another.

• Lap the cloth over its edge.
• She lapped the fabric before sewing it.
• He lapped one corner of the sheet over another.

How to use it: lap something over something (She lapped the cloth over the edge.)

Similar words: fold

Opposites: unfold

Common phrases: lap the cloth, lap an edge, lap something over

To cover or surround something by winding material around it.

• She lapped the baby in a blanket.
• He lapped a bandage around his finger.
• The cloth was lapped around the broken handle.

How to use it: lap something in something (They lapped the fragile bowl in cloth.); lap something around something (She lapped a bandage around his wrist.)

Similar words: wrap, enwrap

Opposites: unwrap

Common phrases: lap something around something, lap in cloth, lap a bandage