Laugh vs Clap - What's the difference?
laugh | clap |
An expression of mirth particular to the human species; the sound heard in laughing; laughter.
* 1803 , (Oliver Goldsmith), The Poetical Works of Oliver Goldsmith, M.B.: With an Account of His Life , page 45:
* 1869 , , Lectures and Addresses on Literary and Social Topics , page 87:
Something that provokes mirth or scorn.
* 1921 , (Ring Lardner), The Big Town: How I and the Mrs. Go to New York to See Life and Get Katie a Husband , The Bobbs-Merrill Company, page 73:
* 1979 , (Monty Python), (Always Look on the Bright Side of Life)
(label) A fun person.
* 2010 , (The Times), March 14, 2010, (Tamzin Outhwaite), the unlikely musical star
(label) To show mirth, satisfaction, or derision, by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face, particularly of the mouth, causing a lighting up of the face and eyes, and usually accompanied by the emission of explosive or chuckling sounds from the chest and throat; to indulge in laughter.
* c. 1602 , (William Shakespeare), (Troilus and Cressida) , act I, scene ii:
* 1899 , (Stephen Crane),
* 1979 , (Monty Python), (Always Look on the Bright Side of Life)
To be or appear cheerful, pleasant, mirthful, lively, or brilliant; to sparkle; to sport.
* 1693 , (John Dryden), "Of the Pythagorean Philosophy", from the 15th book of Ovid's Metamorphoses
* 1734 , (Alexander Pope), (An Essay on Man) , Chapter 3
To make an object of laughter or ridicule; to make fun of; to deride; to mock.
* 1731-1735 , (Alexander Pope), (Moral Essays)
* 1890 , (Oscar Wilde), (The Picture of Dorian Gray) , Chapter 3
* 1967 , (The Beatles), (Penny Lane)
(label) To affect or influence by means of laughter or ridicule.
* 1611 , (William Shakespeare), (The Tempest) , act II, scene i:
* 1611 , (William Shakespeare), (The Tempest) , act II, scene ii:
(label) To express by, or utter with, laughter.
* 1602 , (William Shakespeare), (Troilus and Cressida) , act I, scene iii:
* 1866 , (Louisa May Alcott), (Behind A Mask)'' or, ''A Woman's Power ; Chapter 8
* 1906 , (Jack London), (Moon-Face)
The act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together.
The explosive sound of thunder.
* Episode 12, The Cyclops
Any loud, sudden, explosive sound made by striking hard surfaces together, or resembling such a sound.
* Jonathan Swift
A slap with the hand, usually in a jovial manner.
A single, sudden act or motion; a stroke; a blow.
* Shakespeare
(falconry) The nether part of the beak of a hawk.
(Yorkshire) A dropping of cow dung (presumably from the sound made as it hits the ground) Edward Peacock, A Glossary of Words Used in the Wapentakes of Manley and Corringham, Lincolnshire ,
* 1890 , John Nicholson, Folk Lore of East Yorkshire ,
To strike the palms of the hands together, creating a sharp sound.
To applaud.
To slap with the hand in a jovial manner.
To bring two surfaces together forcefully, creating a sharp sound.
* Marvell
To come together suddenly with noise.
* Dryden
To create or assemble (something) hastily (usually followed by up'' or ''together ).
To set or put, usually in haste.
* John Locke
* Lamb
(slang, AAVE) To shoot (somebody) with a gun.
Gonorrhea.
* “What in hell makes you think he's got the clap ?” Hawkeye asked. “Even a clap doctor can't diagnose it through a parka
* When I explained that I thought he had given me the clap , he said I must be mistaken, it had to be someone I'd “tricked” with at ... He'd never had an STD in his life, he told me, and slammed down the phone.
* He thought I had given him the clap [gonorrhea], but I knew I didn't.
* Gonorrhea, sometimes called the clap , is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae.
As nouns the difference between laugh and clap
is that laugh is an expression of mirth particular to the human species; the sound heard in laughing; laughter while clap is the act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together or clap can be gonorrhea.As verbs the difference between laugh and clap
is that laugh is (label) to show mirth, satisfaction, or derision, by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face, particularly of the mouth, causing a lighting up of the face and eyes, and usually accompanied by the emission of explosive or chuckling sounds from the chest and throat; to indulge in laughter while clap is to strike the palms of the hands together, creating a sharp sound.laugh
English
Alternative forms
* laff (eye dialect) * laughe (archaic) * larf (Cockney eye dialect)Noun
(en noun)- And the loud laugh that spoke the vacant mind.
- That man is a bad man who has not within him the power of a hearty laugh .
- “And this rug,” he says, stomping on an old rag carpet. “How much do you suppose that cost?” ¶ It was my first guess, so I said fifty dollars. ¶ “That’s a laugh ,” he said. “I paid two thousand for that rug.”
- Life's a piece of shit / When you look at it / Life's a laugh and death's a joke, it's true.
- Outhwaite is a good laugh , yes, she knows how to smile: but deep down, she really is strong and stern.
Synonyms
* (expression of mirth) cackle, chortle, chuckle, giggle, guffaw, snicker, snigger, titter, cachinnation * (something that provokes mirth or scorn) joke, laughing stockDerived terms
* barrel of laughs * belly laugh * bundle of laughs * evil laugh * a laugh a minute * for a laugh * have a laugh * have the last laugh * horselaugh * laughathon * laughless * laughlike * laughline * laugh machine * laughsome * laugh track * laughworthy * laughy * liquid laughVerb
(en verb)- But there was such laughing! Queen Hecuba laugh' d that her eyes ran o'er.
- The roars of laughter which greeted his proclamation were of two qualities; some men laughing' because they knew all about cuckoo-clocks, and other men ' laughing because they had concluded that the eccentric Jake had been victimised by some wise child of civilisation.
- If life seems jolly rotten / There's something you've forgotten / And that's to laugh and smile and dance and sing.
- Then laughs the childish year, with flowerets crowned
- In Folly’s cup ?till laughs the bubble Joy.
- No wit to flatter left of all his store, No fool to laugh at, which he valu'd more.
- There was something about him, Harry, that amused me. He was such a monster. You will laugh at me, I know, but I really went in and paid a whole guinea for the stage-box. To the present day I can't make out why I did so; and yet if I hadn't! – my dear Harry, if I hadn't, I would have missed the greatest romance of my life. I see you are laughing. It is horrid of you!"
- On the corner is a banker with a motorcar / The little children laugh at him behind his back
- Will you laugh me asleep, for I am very heavy?
- I shall laugh myself to death.
- From his deep chest laughs out a loud applause.
- Fairfax addressed her as "my lady," she laughed her musical laugh, and glanced up at a picture of Gerald with eyes full of exultation.
- "You refuse to take me seriously," Lute said, when she had laughed her appreciation. "How can I take that Planchette rigmarole seriously?"
Usage notes
The simple past tense forms laught', '''laugh'd''' and '''low''' and the past participles '''laught''', '''laugh'd''' and ' laughen also exist, but are obsolete.Synonyms
* (show mirth by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face) cackle, chortle, chuckle, giggle, guffaw, snicker, snigger, titter * See alsoAntonyms
* (show mirth by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face) cry, weepCoordinate terms
* (show mirth by peculiar movement of the muscles of the face) cryDerived terms
* belly-laugh * burst out laughing * don't make me laugh * he who laughs last laughs best * he who laughs last laughs longest * laughable * laugh all the way to the bank * laugh away * laugh down * laugher * laughing * laugh in someone's face * laugh in the sleeve * laugh like a drain * laugh like a hyena * laugh off * laugh one out of * laugh one's head off * laugh on the other side of one's face * laugh out, laugh out loud * laugh out of the other corner of the mouth, laugh out of the other side of the mouth * laugh to scorn * laugh track * * LOL * outlaugh * unlaugh * you're having a laugh * you've got to laughSee also
* aphonogelia * comedy * gelotology * funny * ha ha * tee hee, tee hee heeclap
English
Etymology 1
From (etyl) .Noun
(en noun)- He summoned the waiter with a clap .
- The deafening claps of thunder and the dazzling flashes of lightning which lit up the ghastly scene testified that the artillery of heaven had lent its supernatural pomp to the already gruesome spectacle.
- Off in the distance, he heard the clap of thunder.
- Give the door such a clap , as you go out, as will shake the whole room.
- His father's affection never went further than a handshake or a clap on the shoulder.
- What, fifty of my followers at a clap !
p 188
page 139
- “Oh! get some coo clap (cow dung), mix it wi’ fish oil (whale oil), put it on, and let it stop on all neet.”
Synonyms
* (sound of thunder) thunderclap * See alsoDerived terms
* thunderclapVerb
(Clapping)- The children began to clap in time with the music.
- The audience loudly clapped the actress, who responded with a deep curtsey.
- It isn’t the singers they are clapping ; it's the composer.
- He would often clap his teammates on the back for encouragement.
- He clapped the empty glass down on the table.
- She clapped the book shut.
- ''He clapped across the floor in his boots.
- Then like a bird it sits and sings, / And whets and claps its silver wings.
- The doors around me clapped .
- We should clap together a shelter before nightfall.
- ''The rival factions clapped up a truce.
- The sheriff clapped him in jail.
- She was the prettiest thing I'd ever clapped eyes on.
- He had just time to get in and clap to the door.
- Clap an extinguisher upon your irony.
Derived terms
* clapper * claptrap * clapperboardSee also
* applaud * applauseEtymology 2
Uncertain.Noun
(en noun)- 1997 MASH
- 1998 Dan Savage
- 1998 Changing Bodies
- 2006 The STDs Update
- I'm gonna kill that bitch for giving me the clap !
- If your dick has "the drip" you probably have the clap and need to go to the sex clinic.
- He wasn't careful; he caught both syphilis and the clap .