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flop 1 (flŏp)
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v. flopped, flop·ping, flops
v.intr.
1. To fall or lie down heavily and noisily: flop onto the sofa.
2. To move about loosely or limply: The dog's ears flopped when it ran.
3. Informal To fail utterly: The play flopped.
4. Slang
a. To rest idly; lounge.
b. To go to bed.
5. Sports To exaggerate or simulate a fall after contact or near-contact with an opposing player in order to induce a referee to call a penalty; to dive.
v.tr.
1. To drop or lay (something) down heavily and noisily: flopped the steak onto a platter.
2. In certain poker games, to have attained (a hand) as a result of the first three community cards that are dealt face up at the same time: flopped a flush.
n.
1. The act of flopping.
2. The sound made when flopping.
3. Informal An utter failure.
4. In certain poker games, the first three community cards that are dealt face up at the same time.
5. Sports An exaggerated or simulated fall after contact or near-contact with an opposing player in an attempt to induce the referee to call a penalty; a dive.

[Alteration of FLAP.]

flopper n.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 
flop 2 (flŏp)
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n.
Computers
Variant of flops.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fifth Edition copyright ©2022 by HarperCollins Publishers. All rights reserved.
 

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.