A flop is when someone or something fails completely, often in an embarrassing way. A new movie might flop at the box office.
When we use the word "flop", we usually talk about situations where things don't go as planned. Imagine you've been working on a project for months and it finally gets rejected by investors. You could say that your idea flopped. If someone starts a restaurant but can't get customers, the business might flop too. It's like something hit the ground with a big splat – it just didn't make it. Sometimes we use "flop" to describe people who fail miserably at sports or games either, saying they flopped in their competition.
How common is "flop"?
Word flop is considered rare in modern English. It appears most frequently in fiction texts and less often in other writings.
Definitions
noun
An incident of a certain type of fall; a plopping down.
A complete failure, especially in the entertainment industry.
The first three cards turned face-up by the dealer in a community card poker game.
A ponded package of dung, as in a cow-flop.
A flophouse.
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box office bombdudfiascoturkey
verb
To fall heavily due to lack of energy.
Example: He flopped down in front of the television, exhausted from work.
To cause to drop heavily.
Example: The tired mule flopped its ears forward and trudged on.
To fail completely; not to be successful at all (of a movie, play, book, song etc.).
Example: The latest album flopped and so the studio canceled her contract.
To pretend to be fouled in sports, such as basketball, hockey (the same as to dive in soccer)
Example: It starts with Chris Paul, because Blake didn't really used to flop like that, you know, last year.
To strike about with something broad and flat, as a fish with its tail, or a bird with its wings; to rise and fall; to flap.
Example: The brim of a hat flops.
To have (a hand) using the community cards dealt on the flop.
Example: Both players flopped sets! Cards dealt on the flop: Q95. Player A's hole cards: 55 (making three of a kind: 555). Player B's hole cards: QQ (making three of a kind: QQQ).
