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dap up

B1 slang separable transitive
In simple words

To say hello to someone with a cool handshake or fist bump.

Meanings

1 B1 idiomatic slang

To greet someone with a specific handshake, fist bump, or elaborate physical greeting gesture as a sign of friendship or respect.

"As soon as he walked into the locker room, his teammates all dapped him up."

Grammar: separable
2 B1 idiomatic slang

To acknowledge or show respect to someone with a physical gesture.

"The coach dapped up every player on the way out of the court."

Grammar: separable
Usage notes

Rooted in African-American culture and now widespread in youth culture across the United States. 'Dap' originated in the US military among Black soldiers in the 1960s–70s. The gesture varies — it can be a fist bump, a specific handshake sequence, or a one-arm hug. Common in informal, especially male, social settings.

Commonly used with

homie crew friend teammate everyone each other

Forms

Base
dap up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
daps up
he/she/it
Past simple
daped up
yesterday
Past participle
daped up
have + pp
-ing form
daping up
continuous

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