verb (used without object), flopped, flop·ping.
- to fall or plump down suddenly, especially with noise; drop or turn with a sudden bump or thud (sometimes followed by down): The puppy flopped down on the couch.
- to change suddenly, as from one side or party to another (often followed by over).
- to be a complete failure; fail: The play flopped dismally.
- Informal. to sleep or be lodged: to flop at a friend’s house.
- to swing loosely; bounce; flap: His long hair flops in his eyes when he runs.
verb (used with object), flopped, flop·ping.
- to drop with a sudden bump or thud: He flopped his books on a chair.
- to dispose (oneself) in a heavily negligent manner: to flop oneself in a chair.
- to invert (the negative of a photograph) so that the right and left sides are transposed.
noun
- an act of flopping.
- the sound of flopping; a thud.
- a failure: The new comedy was a flop.
- Informal. a place to sleep; temporary lodging: The mission offered a flop and a free breakfast.
verb flops, flopping or flopped
- (intr) to bend, fall, or collapse loosely or carelesslyhis head flopped backwards
- (when intr, often foll by into, onto, etc) to fall, cause to fall, or move with a sudden noisethe books flopped onto the floor
- (intr) informal to fail; be unsuccessfulthe scheme flopped
- (intr) to fall flat onto the surface of water, hitting it with the front of the body
- (intr often foll by out) slang to go to sleep
noun
- the act of flopping
- informal a complete failure
- US and Canadian slang a place to sleep
- athletics See Fosbury flop
- the flop poker the first three community cards dealt face-up in a round of any of several varieties of poker, including Texas hold ’em
c.1600, probably a variant of flap with a duller, heavier sound. Sense of “fall or drop heavily” is 1836, that of “collapse, fail” is 1919; though the figurative noun sense of “a failure” is recorded from 1893. Related: Flopped; flopping.
1823, in the literal sense, from flop (v.). Figurative use by 1893.