Longman Dictionary of Contemporary English - clap

~1 v clapped, clapping 1 to hit your hands together loudly and continuously to show that you enjoyed a performance or that you approve of something  (The crowd roared with approval and clapped.) 2 clap your hands a) to hit your hands together loudly and continuously to show that you approve, agree, or have enjoyed something b) to hit your hands together to attract someone's attention or to stop them doing something  (She clapped her hands and shouted, -Rosie, stop that now!-) 3 clap sb on the back/shoulder etc to hit someone lightly with your open hand in a friendly way or to show that you are amused 4 clap eyes on BrE informal to suddenly see someone or something  (Until this morning I'd never clapped eyes on him.) 5 clap your hand on/over etc to put your hand somewhere quickly and suddenly  (Babs clapped her hand over her mouth saying, -My God, I think I left the oven on.-) 6 clap hold of to take hold of someone or something suddenly  (I clapped hold of him by the shoulder and pushed him out of the front door.) 7 clap sb in prison/jail/irons to suddenly put someone in prison or chains - clapping n ~2 n 1 a sudden loud sound that you make when you hit your hands together, especially to show that you enjoyed something or that you agree  (give sb a clap BrE)  (Come on everyone let's give Tommy a clap.) 2 a clap on the back/shoulder an act of hitting someone on the back or shoulder to show that you are friendly or amused 3 a clap of thunder a loud sound made by thunder 4 the clap slang gonorrhoea