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dap¹

(dăp)

intr.v. dapped, dap·ping, daps

1. To fish by letting a baited hook fall gently onto the water.

2. To dip lightly or quickly into water, as a bird does.

3. To skip or bounce, especially over the surface of water.

[Probably alteration of DAB¹.]

dap²

(dăp)

1. An elaborate gesture of greeting developed by African American soldiers during the Vietnam War, usually consisting of a handshake and other maneuvers such as hand slaps and a fist bump.

2. A fist bump.

tr.v. dapped, dap·ping, daps

To greet by means of a dap.

[African American Vernacular English, of unknown origin.]

Indo-European & Semitic Roots Appendices

Thousands of entries in the dictionary include etymologies that trace their origins back to reconstructed proto-languages. You can obtain more information about these forms in our online appendices:

Indo-European Roots

Semitic Roots

The Indo-European appendix covers nearly half of the Indo-European roots that have left their mark on English words. A more complete treatment of Indo-European roots and the English words derived from them is available in our Dictionary of Indo-European Roots.

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