lap

/læp/ (bre, ipa) · /læp/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈlap/ (ame, mw)

lap — 名詞

  • lapsingular
  • lapsplural

1. the flat surface created by the top of your thighs when you sit down, where you

1.名詞A2
釋義

大腿

坐時大腿形成的平坦面

the flat surface created by the top of your thighs when you sit down, where you can rest objects, a book, a child, or a pet

例句

The little girl sat quietly on her mother's lap while the story was being read.

小女孩安靜地坐在母親的腿上,聽故事朗讀。

on someone's lap

Bao balanced a bowl of noodles on his lap and ate dinner while watching television.

Bao 把一碗麵放在腿上,邊看電視邊吃晚餐。

on his lap — holding an object

同義詞
  • thighs

    refers to the upper legs themselves, not the flat surface formed when sitting

  • knees

    sometimes used informally instead of 'lap' when someone is sitting on another person — e.g. 'sit on my knees' but technically less accurate

用法筆記

This sense is typically used with a possessive ('his lap', 'her lap') or in the phrase 'on someone's lap'. It is rarely used without a reference to a person.

常見錯誤

The book is on the lap.
The book is on my lap.
💡In English, 'lap' almost always needs a possessive or a reference to whose lap it is, because the lap is part of a specific person's body.

2. a single circuit of a marked course that competitors travel around more than onc

2.名詞B1
釋義

一圈

跑道或賽道的完整一圈

a single circuit of a marked course that competitors travel around more than once to decide the result of a race

例句

The Formula One driver finished the final lap three seconds faster than his nearest rival.

那位一級方程式車手在最後一圈跑得比最接近的對手快了整整三秒。

final lap — race context

With only two laps to go, the leading runner began to slow down from exhaustion.

只剩下兩圈時,領先的跑者因為體力耗盡而開始慢下來。

laps to go

同義詞
  • circuit

    more formal, often used for the complete course itself rather than one trip around it

  • round

    used in boxing, golf, and some sports for a unit of play; broader than 'lap'

  • leg

    one section of a longer race or journey, often in relays or multi-stage events

常見錯誤

I ran ten laps in the gym.
I ran ten laps around the track.
💡'Lap' is specifically for a circuit with a clear start and end point. A treadmill or gym exercise is not a 'lap' unless it follows a circuit.

3. a celebratory circuit of the playing area that the victor of a competition compl

3.名詞B2
釋義

繞場慶祝

優勝者繞場一圈慶祝

a celebratory circuit of the playing area that the victor of a competition completes to share the win with the audience

例句

After winning the hundred-metre race, Elena took a victory lap and waved to the cheering crowd.

贏得一百公尺比賽後,Elena 繞場跑了一圈勝利圈,向歡呼的群眾揮手致意。

victory lap

The home team ran a lap of honour around the stadium while the supporters sang the club song.

主場球隊繞著體育場跑了一圈榮譽圈,球迷們高唱隊歌。

lap of honour

同義詞
  • victory lap

    the most common term for this celebration run

  • lap of honour

    the British English equivalent, equally common in the UK

用法筆記

Commonly called a 'victory lap' or 'lap of honour'. The phrase 'lap of honour' is more common in British English. This sense is distinct from sense 2 (a regular race lap) because its purpose is celebration, not competition.

4. one distinct part within a longer trip, a series of tasks, or a broader activity

4.名詞B2
釋義

階段

旅程或工作的其中一段

one distinct part within a longer trip, a series of tasks, or a broader activity, treated as a separate portion

例句

The first lap of our road trip took us from Taipei all the way down to Kaohsiung.

我們這趟公路旅行的第一段路程,是從台北一路開到高雄。

lap of a journey

We have completed the design lap of the project and are ready to start building the prototype.

我們已經完成了專案的設計階段,準備開始製作原型。

lap of a project

同義詞
  • stage

    the general term for a distinct phase; 'lap' adds a sense of returning to a starting point

  • phase

    more formal than 'lap', used in project management and planning

  • leg

    specifically used for stages of a journey or race, very close in meaning to this sense

用法筆記

This sense is used figuratively, extending the racing metaphor to non-competitive contexts like work, travel, or any step-by-step process. It is less common in everyday speech than senses 1 and 2.

常見錯誤

I finished the first lap of reading the book.
I finished the first chapter of the book.
💡'Lap' for a stage of work is appropriate only when the work naturally divides into repeated rounds or circuits. Reading a book chapter by chapter is not a 'lap'.

5. a part of something, especially cloth, paper, or material, that folds over or li

5.名詞C1
釋義

重疊部分

布料等物體重疊或垂下的部分

a part of something, especially cloth, paper, or material, that folds over or lies on top of another part, or a loose piece that hangs down

例句

The tailor carefully stitched the lap of the jacket lining so that it lay perfectly flat.

裁縫師仔細地縫好外套內裡的重疊部分,使其平整服貼。

lap of a garment

There was a small lap of extra paper at the edge of the envelope that needed to be folded in.

信封邊緣多出一小塊紙需要摺進去。

同義詞
  • flap

    a loose piece attached at one edge, more common in everyday language than 'lap' in this sense

  • overlap

    emphasises where one part covers another rather than the part itself

  • fold

    a line or area where material is bent back on itself

用法筆記

This sense is mostly used in sewing, tailoring, and crafts. It is the original historical meaning from which the 'upper legs' sense developed — the idea of a fold or flap. Modern speakers rarely encounter this use outside of technical contexts.

lap — 動詞