flapping /ˈflæpɪŋ/noun 4adjective 1forms 1 noun4 •An instance where one, or something, flaps.The farmyard was dark and he tiptoed across it so that the turkeys wouldn't set up their gobbling and flapping. — 1970 •A phonological process found in many dialects of English, especially American English and Canadian English, by which intervocalic /t/ and /d/ surface as the alveolar flap [ɾ] before an unstressed syllable, so that words such as "metal" and "medal" are pronounced similarly or identically. •The situation where a resource, a network destination, etc., is advertised as being available and then unavailable (or available by different routes) in rapid succession. •The unlicensed racing of horses or greyhounds.Flapping is racing which is not licensed by the Jockey Club. […] Anyone found participating in, or even attending, flapping races is liable to be warned off. — 2016 adjective1 •that flaps or flapflapping sails formsflappings