Definition

1. Verb:

   • To bark sharply, shrilly, and often continuously, typically in a high-pitched tone. This is most commonly associated with small dogs.
   • (Informal, often derogatory) To talk noisily, incessantly, or foolishly; to chatter.

2. Noun:

   • A sharp, shrill bark.
   • (Slang) The mouth, especially when talking excessively or complaining.

Examples of Usage

• Verb:
  • The small terrier began to yap at the mail carrier.
  • Please stop yapping on the phone; I'm trying to concentrate.
• Noun:
  • We heard the high-pitched yap of a puppy from the neighbor's yard.
  • (Slang) Shut your yap! I've heard enough complaining.

Advanced Usage

• "yap away": To talk continuously and often annoyingly.
  • She just yapped away about her vacation for an hour.
• "yap at someone": To speak to someone in a shrill, nagging, or complaining manner.
  • My boss is always yapping at me about trivial details.

Variants and Related Words

• Yappy (adjective): Describing a dog that yaps frequently or a person who talks in a shrill, chattering way.
  • They couldn't adopt the dog because it was too yappy for their apartment.

Synonyms

• Verb (bark): Yelp, yip, woof.
• Verb (talk): Chatter, jabber, prattle, blabber.
• Noun (mouth): Trap, gob, piehole (all slang).

Related Phrasal Verbs

• Yap on (about something): To talk persistently or tediously about a subject.
  • He yapped on about the football game all through dinner.

Related Idioms

• "Shut one's yap": A rude command to stop talking.
  • I told him to shut his yap before he got us into trouble.
• "Run off at the yap": To talk excessively or indiscreetly.
  • He has a tendency to run off at the yap when he's nervous.

Noun

1. informal terms for the mouth

Verb

1. bark in a high-pitched tone
   • the puppies yelped