Root vs Clap - What's the difference?

As nouns the difference between root and clap

is that root is the part of a plant, generally underground, that absorbs water and nutrients while clap is the act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together.

As verbs the difference between root and clap

is that root is to break into a computer system and obtain root access while clap is to strike the palms of the hands together, creating a sharp sound.

As a proper noun Root

is {{surname|lang=en}.

root

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) ; cognate with wort and radix.

Noun

(en noun)

The part of a plant, generally underground, that absorbs water and nutrients.

This tree's roots can go as deep as twenty metres underground.

A root vegetable.

two fields which should have been sown with roots in the early summer were not sown because the ploughing had not been completed early enough.

The part of a tooth extending into the bone holding the tooth in place.

Root damage is a common problem of overbrushing.

The part of a hair under the skin that holds the hair in place.

The root is the only part of the hair that is alive.

The part of a hair near the skin that has not been dyed, permed, or otherwise treated.

He dyed his hair black last month, so the grey roots can be seen.

The primary source; origin.

The love of money is the root of all evil.

* John Locke

They were the roots out of which sprang two distinct people.

(arithmetic) Of a number or expression, a number which, when raised to a specified power, yields the specified number or expression.

The cube root of 27 is 3.

(arithmetic) A square root (understood if no power is specified; in which case, “the root of” is often abbreviated to “root”).

Multiply by root 2.

(analysis) A zero (of a function).

(graph theory, computing) The single node of a tree that has no parent.

(linguistic morphology) The primary lexical unit of a word, which carries the most significant aspects of semantic content and cannot be reduced into smaller constituents. Inflectional stems often derive from roots.

(philology) A word from which another word or words are derived.

(music) The fundamental tone of any chord; the tone from whose harmonics, or overtones, a chord is composed.

(Busby)

The lowest place, position, or part.

* Milton

deep to the roots of hell

* Southey

the roots of the mountains

(computing) In UNIX terminology, the first user account with complete access to the operating system and its configuration, found at the root of the directory structure.

(computing) The person who manages accounts on a UNIX system.

(computing) The highest directory of a directory structure which may contain both files and subdirectories. (rfex)

Synonyms

* (source) basis, origin, source * (zero of a function) zero * (word from which another is derived) etymon * superuser (), root account, root user

Antonyms

* (zero of a function) pole

Holonyms

* (zero of a function) kernel

Derived terms

* cube root * functional root * put down roots * root canal * root cause * rootkit * roots * roots music * rootsy * square root * strictly roots * take root * taproot * root gap

Verb

(en verb)

(computing, slang, transitive) To break into a computer system and obtain root access.

We rooted his box and planted a virus on it.

To fix the root; to enter the earth, as roots; to take root and begin to grow.

* Mortimer

In deep grounds the weeds root deeper.

* '>citation

To be firmly fixed; to be established.

* Bishop Fell

If any irregularity chanced to intervene and to cause misapprehensions, he gave them not leave to root and fasten by concealment.

Etymology 2

From (etyl) . Cognate with rodent. Cognate with Dutch wroeten.

Verb

(en verb)

To turn up or dig with the snout.

A pig roots the earth for truffles.

(by extension) To seek favour or advancement by low arts or grovelling servility; to fawn.

To rummage, to search as if by digging in soil.

rooting about in a junk-filled drawer

To root out; to abolish.

* Shakespeare

I will go root away the noisome weeds.

* Bible, Deuteronomy xxix. 28

The Lord rooted them out of their land and cast them into another land.

(Australia, New Zealand, vulgar, slang) To have sexual intercourse.

Usage notes

* The Australian/New Zealand sexual sense is somewhat milder than fuck but still quite coarse, certainly not for polite conversation. The sexual sense will often be understood, unless care is taken with the context to make the rummage sense clear, or 'root through' or 'root around' is used. The past participle rooted'' is equivalent to ''fucked'' in the figurative sense of broken or tired, but ''rooting'' is only the direct verbal sense, not an all-purpose intensive like ''fucking .

Synonyms

* (rummage) dig out, root out, rummage * (have sexual intercourse) screw, bang, drill (US), shag (British) - See also

Derived terms

* root about * rooted * root out * root up

Noun

(en noun)

(Australia, New Zealand, vulgar, slang) An act of sexual intercourse.

Fancy a root ?

(Australia, New Zealand, vulgar, slang) A sexual partner.

Usage notes

* The Australian/New Zealand sexual sense of root'' is somewhat milder than ''fuck'' but still quite coarse, certainly not for polite conversation. The normal usage is ''to have a root or similar.

Synonyms

* (act of sexual intercourse) screw (qualifier), shag (UK); see also * (sexual partner) screw (US)

Etymology 3

Possibly an alteration of , influenced by hoot

Verb

(en verb)

(intransitive, with for, US) To cheer to show support for.

* 1908 ,

Let me root', '''root''', ' root for the home team,

(US) To hope for the success of. Rendered as 'root for'.

I'm rooting for you, don't let me down!

Synonyms

* (cheer) barrack (qualifier), cheer on

Anagrams

* ----

clap

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) .

Noun

(en noun)

The act of striking the palms of the hands, or any two surfaces, together.

He summoned the waiter with a clap .

The explosive sound of thunder.

* Episode 12, The Cyclops

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.

Any loud, sudden, explosive sound made by striking hard surfaces together, or resembling such a sound.

Off in the distance, he heard the clap of thunder.

* Jonathan Swift

Give the door such a clap , as you go out, as will shake the whole room.

A slap with the hand, usually in a jovial manner.

His father's affection never went further than a handshake or a clap on the shoulder.

A single, sudden act or motion; a stroke; a blow.

* Shakespeare

What, fifty of my followers at a clap !

(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 , p 188

* 1890 , John Nicholson, Folk Lore of East Yorkshire , 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 also

Derived terms

* thunderclap

Verb

(Clapping)

To strike the palms of the hands together, creating a sharp sound.

The children began to clap in time with the music.

To applaud.

The audience loudly clapped the actress, who responded with a deep curtsey.

It isn’t the singers they are clapping ; it's the composer.

To slap with the hand in a jovial manner.

He would often clap his teammates on the back for encouragement.

To bring two surfaces together forcefully, creating a sharp sound.

He clapped the empty glass down on the table.

She clapped the book shut.

''He clapped across the floor in his boots.

* Marvell

Then like a bird it sits and sings, / And whets and claps its silver wings.

To come together suddenly with noise.

* Dryden

The doors around me clapped .

To create or assemble (something) hastily (usually followed by up'' or ''together ).

We should clap together a shelter before nightfall.

''The rival factions clapped up a truce.

To set or put, usually in haste.

The sheriff clapped him in jail.

She was the prettiest thing I'd ever clapped eyes on.

* John Locke

He had just time to get in and clap to the door.

* Lamb

Clap an extinguisher upon your irony.

(slang, AAVE) To shoot (somebody) with a gun.

Derived terms

* clapper * claptrap * clapperboard

Etymology 2

Uncertain.

Noun

(en noun)

Gonorrhea.

1997 MASH

* “What in hell makes you think he's got the clap ?” Hawkeye asked. “Even a clap doctor can't diagnose it through a parka

1998 Dan Savage

* 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.

1998 Changing Bodies

* He thought I had given him the clap [gonorrhea], but I knew I didn't.

2006 The STDs Update

* Gonorrhea, sometimes called the clap , is caused by a bacterium called Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

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 .

References

Anagrams

* ----