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Glite Dictionary
dope slap

dope slap

9.9
A quick light hit on the head with the hand to show frustration or sudden realization
  • noun
  • /doʊp slæp/
  • Informal
translation icon : cachetada
  • Feeling foolish after his mistake, he gave himself a quick dope slap.

Examples

  • She laughed and gave her brother a playful dope slap for forgetting his keys again.

  • He gave himself a dope slap after forgetting the meeting.

  • A sudden dope slap of inspiration hit him during the meeting.

  • Don't forget to dope slap yourself when you make a mistake!

  • She laughed and gave her brother a playful dope slap for forgetting his keys again.

  • Feeling foolish after his mistake, he gave himself a quick dope slap.

  • He gave himself a dope slap after forgetting the meeting.

Synonyms

smackeroo
vsdope slap
  • Informal
9.9

A quick light slap given in play

is used to show frustration, sudden realization, or to prompt alertness
slappy
vsdope slap
8.1

A quick light hit with the hand given in a friendly way

is used to show annoyance or to make someone suddenly alert

How Forceful

wallop
  • Informal
3 6.7
dope slap
  • Informal
9.9
slap
110 1.0
to flick
60 2.3
tap
66 1.0

Surface Forms

dope slap singular
dope slaps plural

Morphology

dope + slap

The constituents 'dope' (a stupid person) and 'slap' (a quick strike) give a clear literal image of a slap directed at someone seen as foolish, so a learner who knows both words will get a partial sense of the phrase. However, the idiomatic/pragmatic uses (self‑slapping in frustration or a wake‑up gesture) and the colloquial nuance are not fully predictable from the parts, so full meaning requires prior exposure.

Etymology

The expression dope slap may come from the simple image of giving a quick slap to someone acting like a dope, meaning a 'foolish person', to make them pay attention. That's why it now means a quick, often playful or annoyed hit to make someone 'wake up', 'realize' something, or show you feel foolish.