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lap joint

lap joint

1 5.8
A place where two pieces lie on top of each other and are fastened together
  • noun
  • Specialized
translation icon : junta de solape
  • Two-piece backup flanges are a cost-effective alternative to standard lap joint or Van Stone-style flanges.
  • half-lap joint
  • cut the lap joints

Examples

  • I knew that it would work to have this kind of a joint with a double lap joint, I guess they call them.

  • All the failures involved the unzipping of the vertical lap joint between the first and second sheets from the end of the container.

    Academic text (2005)
  • So the rubber's kind of intact because you've cut away like a lap joint and then the fabric stuck together.

  • By tracking each part and how it had been manufactured, the investigating engineers discovered that the container's side panels were sheets of aluminum alloy that were riveted to each other and to the frame along vertical lap joints.

    Academic text (2005)
  • To create a strong connection, make sure the pieces overlap at the lap joint and are securely fastened.

  • The carpenter explained how he would secure the lap joint by using both glue and nails for extra strength.

  • When building the frame, ensure that each lap joint is aligned properly to maintain stability.

Antonyms

butt joint
  • Specialized
1 6.7

A connection of two pieces of wood or metal placed end to end without overlapping

How Much Overlap

overlap
7 3.7
lap joint
  • Specialized
1 5.8
scarf joint
  • Specialized
9.0
butt joint
  • Specialized
1 6.7

Surface Forms

lap joint singular
lap joints plural

Morphology

lap + joint

The meaning is directly compositional: 'lap' (an overlapping piece) + 'joint' (a connection) yields a connection made by overlapping two pieces, so a learner who knows both constituent senses can derive the MWE meaning. This is a straightforward, domain-specific compound found across languages and technical registers, making it readily transparent to B1 learners familiar with the component words.

Etymology

Lap joint comes from the simple image of one piece lying partly on top of another so the two pieces 'lap' and are held together. Here lap means to lie on top and joint means a connection, so lap joint means 'a joint made by overlapping two pieces'.