You searched for: “flop
flop (s) (noun), flops (pl)
1. A sound made when someone, or something, suddenly falls, lies, or sits down: The book fell to the floor with a flop.
2. Something that is a failure, a non-starter, a wash out: Despite the positive critical reviews, commercially the new play was a flop.
This entry is located in the following unit: English Words in Action, Group F (page 4)
flop (verb), flops; flopped, flopping
1. To sit, or to lie down heavily in a sudden, awkward way by relaxing the muscles and letting the body fall: He flopped down onto the couch while she flopped into the stuffed chair with a sigh.
2. To move limply, or heavily; to swing and to move in a loose, awkward, or uncontrolled way: The curtains were flopping around in the breeze which was coming through the open windows.
3. To fail completely; to be completely unsuccessful: The play flopped, or bombed, and all of their attempts to set things right also flopped miserably.
This entry is located in the following unit: English Words in Action, Group F (page 4)
Word Entries containing the term: “flop
belly flop (s) (noun), belly flops (pl)
1. A dive in which the front of the body hits flat against a surface, especially of water: Celia did a belly flop into the swimming pool.
2. A shallow dive in which the front of the diver's body hits the water first: The children, supervised by the adults, were playing at the pool and did belly flops into the water, laughing hysterically all the time.
This entry is located in the following unit: English Words in Action, Group B (page 4)
belly-flop (verb), belly-flops; belly-flopped; belly-flopping
To execute a poorly done dive in which the front of the body lands flat on the surface of the water: Orville belly-flopped into the swimming pool right after his sister.
This entry is located in the following unit: English Words in Action, Group B (page 4)
flip-flop (s) (noun), flip-flops (pl)
1. A type of loose rubber sandals: Fay wore flip-flops to the beach.
2. Sudden changes of opinions: The senator was accused of doing flip-flops on important social issues.
This entry is located in the following unit: English Words in Action, Group F (page 3)
flip-flop (verb), flip-flops; flip-flopped, flip-flopping
1. To undergo a complete turn around regarding a position or policy while trying to justify the change in the position: The presidential candidate kept flip-flopping on whether he would raise or lower income taxes.
2. Primarily in Britain, to undertake a "U" turn: The driver of the car ahead of Charles tried to flip-flop in a NO U-TURN zone and she was stopped by the police.

Days after both men reversed course on major issues, the presidential campaigns of Senator Barack Obama and Senator John McCain spent much of Sunday's talk-show circuits working to ensure accusations of "flip-flopping" don't stick.

From where I sit, flip-flopping is an unbeatable addiction for Obama; and for McCain, by comparison, it's an occasional foible.

—"Barack Obama, Serial Flip-Flopper" by Bonnie Erbe in the
U.S. News and World Report; June 23, 2008.
This entry is located in the following unit: English Words in Action, Group F (page 3)