belap

== English == === Etymology === From Middle English bilappen (“to envelop; to clothe; to surround; to blend, mix”), from bi- (completive, intensifying, or figurative prefix) + lappen (“to wrap; to place so as to enclose or enfold; to encase; to envelop; to clothe; to put on armour; to ensnare, snare”). Lappen is derived from lap, lappe (“loose part of a garment; folded or extended skirt, or loose sleeve, used to hold things; small piece of cloth or mail detached from a garment or coat of mail; a part, portion, share; a person’s lap; (also figuratively) a person’s bosom or breast; (anatomy) a loose part of the body (such as an earlobe or a lobe of the liver); female genitalia; cavity or sinus in the body; (in place names) piece of land at the edge of an estate or parish”) (from Old English læppa (“skirt; (anatomy) lobe”), from Proto-Germanic *lappô (“cloth; rag”); further etymology uncertain, perhaps from Proto-Indo-European *leb- (“to hang down loosely (?)”)) + -en (suffix forming the infinitive of verbs). The English word is analysable as be- (prefix meaning ‘about; around’ or ‘completely, utterly’) +‎ lap (“to lap or wrap around, envelop, surround”). === Pronunciation === (Received Pronunciation) IPA(key): /bɪˈlæp/ (General American) IPA(key): /bəˈlæp/ Rhymes: -æp Hyphenation: be‧lap === Verb === belap (third-person singular simple present belaps, present participle belapping, simple past and past participle belapped) (transitive, chiefly passive voice, obsolete) To lap or wrap around (someone or something); to envelop, to surround. Synonyms: enfold, environ, lap, (obsolete) umbelap ==== Related terms ==== lap umbelap === References ===