claquer

English

Noun

claquer (plural claquers)

1. Alternative form of claqueur

French

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /kla.ke/

• Audio

  (file)

Etymology 1

Inherited from Middle French claquer, from Old French claquer, clacquer (“to clack, clap, clatter”), from Middle Dutch klacken (“to clack, crack, whack, shake”), from Old Dutch *klakon, from Proto-Germanic *klakōną (“to clap, chirp”).

Verb

claquer

1. (intransitive) to clack (make a sharp sound)
2. (of hands) to clap

   claquer des mains ― to clap one's hands

   claquer les acrobates ― to clap the acrobats

3. (intransitive, of fingers) to click, to snap

   faire claquer ses doigts ― to click one's fingers

4. (intransitive, of a whip) to crack

   faire claquer un fouet ― to crack a whip

5. (intransitive, of a flag) to flap
6. (intransitive, of teeth) to chatter
   • 1829, Victor Hugo, Le Dernier Jour d’un condamné:

     Je me levai ; mes dents claquaient, mes mains tremblaient et ne savaient où trouver mes vêtements, mes jambes étaient faibles.

     I got up; my teeth were chattering, my hands shaking, not knowing where to find my clothes, my legs were weak,

7. (intransitive, of gunshots) to rattle
8. (intransitive, of shutters) to rattle
9. (intransitive) to click (to make a click sound with the mouth)
10. (transitive) to slap (hit with the hand)
11. (transitive) to slam (a door)

    J’ai claqué la porte au nez de mon voisin.

    I slammed the door in my neighbour's face.

12. (reflexive) to snap

    se claquer un muscle ― to snap a muscle

13. (informal) to squander, to dissipate, to splurge
    • 2018 July 6, “Bonaparte”, in Elh Kmer (lyrics), Antidote:

      J’suis dans l’hood, j’bicrave de l’OG Kush et c’est normal
      500€, claqués dans mes souliers c’est normal

      I am in the hood, I slang the OG Kush and this is normal
      500€, blown on my creps, this is normal

    • 2021 February 13, Fresh (lyrics and music), “La Douille #4”‎:

      Ce fils de pute il a mal fait les comptes, il a tout claqué, il s’est retrouvé dedans

      This son of a bitch has made bad reckonings, splurged all, he finds himself inside.

14. (intransitive, colloquial) to die

Conjugation

Derived terms

Etymology 2

From claque (“vamp”) +‎ -er.

Verb

claquer

1. to vamp a shoe

Further reading

• “claquer”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.