lapful

Ⅰ.

lap [1] ► NOUN ▪ the flat area between the waist and knees of a seated person.

● fall (or drop) into someone's lap — Cf. ↑fall into someone's lap

● in someone's lap — Cf. ↑in someone's lap

● in the lap of the gods — Cf. ↑in the lap of the gods

● in the lap of luxury — Cf. ↑in the lap of luxury

DERIVATIVES lapful noun.

ORIGIN Old English, «fold, flap», later denoting the front of a skirt when held up to carry something.

Ⅱ.

lap [2] ► NOUN 1) one circuit of a track or racetrack. 2) a part of a journey or other endeavour: the last lap. 3) an overlapping or projecting part. 4) a single turn of rope, thread, or cable round a drum or reel.

► VERB (lapped, lapping) 1) overtake (a competitor in a race) to become one or more laps ahead. 2) (lap in) literary enfold (someone or something) protectively in. 3) project beyond or overlap something.

ORIGIN originally in the sense «to fold or wrap»: from LAP(Cf. ↑lapful).

Ⅲ.

lap [3] ► VERB (lapped, lapping) 1) (of an animal) take up (liquid) with the tongue. 2) (lap up) accept with obvious pleasure. 3) (of water) wash against with a gentle rippling sound.

► NOUN ▪ the action of water lapping.

ORIGIN Old English.