1 C1 idiomatic formal
To imprison or put someone in confinement, especially quickly and without much process.
"The magistrate had him clapped up in the debtor's prison before nightfall."
separable
clap up
C1 formal separable transitive
To imprison or confine someone suddenly; an old-fashioned expression.
In plain English
To put someone in jail very quickly.
What does "clap up" mean?
One main meaning — here's how to use it.
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To shut something up quickly with a clapping motion (like slamming a lid or door shut).
Actually means
To put someone in jail very quickly.
Usage tip
Largely archaic. Found in historical texts, literature, and legal writing from the 17th–19th centuries. Rarely used in modern everyday speech. May also refer to sealing or closing something shut.
Words that pair with "clap up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
prisoner debtor suspect criminal dissenter
How to conjugate "clap up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
clap up
I/you/we/they
3rd person
claps up
he/she/it
Past simple
claped up
yesterday
Past participle
claped up
have + pp
-ing form
claping up
continuous
Hear "clap up" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "clap up" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
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