Literary notes about flop (AI summary)
The word "flop" operates as a vivid, multifaceted term in literature, conveying both physical action and metaphorical nuance. It often illustrates a sudden, almost whimsical collapse—whether characters are settling down to rest on soft grass ([1]) or being flipped over with deliberate force ([2]). At times, it functions as onomatopoeia, evoking the sound and effect of an impacted body, like a fish giving a big flop ([3]) or objects tossed casually, as when a book becomes a washstand with a casual flop ([4]). Beyond mere motion, "flop" also serves as a memorable nickname—imbuing characters such as Feather Flop with distinctive charm ([5])—and even symbolizing failure or underperformance in contexts where a play might not be quite the flop feared ([6]). This diverse usage deepens the texture of narrative, merging physical movement with symbolic undertones.
- “We’ll give Jimmie a chance to get up one of his square meals, and then all flop in this nice soft grass and wake up when we hear the sun going down.”
— from The Flying Machine Boys on Duty; Or, The Clue Above the Clouds by Frank Walton - “No; let’s get hold of his shell and flop him over on his back, then we’ve got him.”
— from A Year in a YawlA True Tale of the Adventures of Four Boys in a Thirty-foot Yawl by Russell Doubleday - The fish gave a big flop and went down the hole.
— from Laddie: A True Blue Story by Gene Stratton-Porter - You took the book of poems off the center table, gave it a flop, and it was a washstand.
— from Hepsey Burke by Frank N. (Frank Nash) Westcott - “I won’t tell anybody,” volunteered Feather Flop.
— from The Mary Frances Garden Book; or, Adventures Among the Garden People by Jane Eayre Fryer - On the whole, the Cubs felt that the play would not be quite the flop they had feared.
— from Dan Carter and the Haunted Castle by Mildred A. (Mildred Augustine) Wirt
