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."
separable
dap up
B1 slang separable transitive
To greet someone with a special handshake, fist bump, or combination of physical greeting gestures.
In plain English
To say hello to someone with a cool handshake or fist bump.
What does "dap up" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
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."
separable
Usage tip
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.
Words that pair with "dap up"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
homie crew friend teammate everyone each other
How to conjugate "dap up"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
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
Hear "dap up" in the wild
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