slap down

slap  (slp)

n.

1.

a. A sharp blow made with the open hand or with a flat object; a smack.

b. The sound of such a blow.

2. A sharp insult: a slap to one's pride.

v. slapped, slap·ping, slaps

v.tr.

1. To strike with a flat object, such as the palm of the hand.

2. To cause to strike sharply and loudly: "He took a clipping from his wallet and slapped it on the bar" (Nathanael West).

3. To put or place quickly or carelessly: slapped butter on a bagel.

4. To criticize or insult sharply.

5. To subject to a legal obligation, such as a fine or court order: slapped him with a speeding ticket; slapped her with a lawsuit.

v.intr.

To strike or beat with the force and sound of a slap: waves slapping against the raft.

adv. Informal

Directly and with force.

Phrasal Verb:

slap down

1. To restrain or correct by means of a sharp blow or emphatic censure: "thought [he] was getting a little uppity and needed to be slapped down" (New York Times).

2. To put a sudden end to; suppress: slap down divisive criticism.

Idiom:

slap on the wrist

A nominal or token punishment.

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[Middle English slappe.]

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slapper n.

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slap down

vb

(tr, adverb) Informal to rebuke sharply, as for impertinence

Translations

? slap down

vt sep (inf)

(= put down) → hinknallen

(fig) to slap somebody down → jdm eins aufs Dach or auf den Deckel geben (inf); to be slapped down → eins aufs Dach or auf den Deckel bekommen (inf)