yap at
yap at (one)
1. Of a dog, especially a small one, to bark intensely, aggressively, and ineffectually at one. Her tiny little Bichon Frise always yaps at me when I walk in the door, but runs away to the bedroom whenever I go near it.
2. To scold, criticize, or respond to one in a curt, aggressive manner. She yapped at me when I said I was going out to meet friends instead of helping her get the kids to bed. I know you don't approve of Todd's plan, but that doesn't give you the right to yap at him in front of everyone like that.
3. To talk to one about trite or meaningless things in an exhausting, tedious, and lengthy manner, especially without letting them respond or engage meaningfully. I got stuck sitting next to Randy at the company dinner, who just yapped at me all night about his fantasy football team. If you're just yapping at your clients about a bunch of numbers and graphs, you probably aren't getting them very interested in what you have to say.
See also: yap
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.
yap at someone
1. . Lit. [for a small dog] to bark at someone or something. The dog yapped at the cat in great frustration. I am tired of that dog yapping at me all the time!
2. Fig. [for someone] to scold or bark at someone shrilly. Don't yap at me. I didn't do it. Bob yapped at Bill for something he didn't do.
See also: yap
McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs.
yap at
v. Slang
1. To bark sharply or shrilly at someone or something: The sheepdog yapped at the stray sheep.
2. To make a sharp, often hostile or scolding remark to someone: The batter yapped at the pitcher after he was hit by a pitch.
See also: yap
The American Heritage® Dictionary of Phrasal Verbs.
- 1FTR
- drive (one) out of office
- force (one) out of office
- force out of office
- give (one) (one's) head
- give head
- give somebody their head
- give someone their head
- cooking for one
- as one door closes, another one opens