Plural of claptrap; worthless or nonsensical things; showy but insincere language or ideas.
From 'clap' (to applaud) plus 'trap' (device to catch). Originated in 18th-century theater—a 'claptrap' was a device or phrase inserted solely to provoke audience applause, with no genuine dramatic purpose.
Victorian theater critics used 'claptraps' as a weapon against melodramatic plays that manipulated emotions through cheap tricks rather than real artistry—it's a word born from artistic snobbery that stuck around.
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