“發出尖銳響聲”的意思爲14世紀後期。作爲手的動作,“拍打以引起注意或表達歡樂情感”,來源於14世紀後期。在沒有特別提到手的情況下,“鼓掌,通過擊掌來表示讚許”的意思於17世紀10年代出現。To clap (someone) on the back 由1520年代開始使用,保留了舊義。相關詞彙: Clapped, clapping。
"gossip over cups of coffee," 1877, 源自德語 Kaffeeklatsch,由 kaffee "咖啡"(見 coffee)和 klatsch "閒話"(見 klatsch)組成。
THE living-room in a German household always contains a large sofa at one side of the room, which is the seat of honor accorded a guest. At a Kaffeeklatsch (literally, coffee gossip) the guests of honor are seated on this sofa, and the large round table is wheeled up before them. The other guests seat themselves in chairs about the table. [Mary Alden Hopkins, "A 'Kaffeeklatsch,'" "Boston Cooking-School Magazine of Culinary Science and Domestic Economics," May 1905]