nap
1to sleep for a short time; doze.
to be off one's guard: The question caught him napping.
to sleep or doze through (a period of time, an activity, etc.) (usually followed by away): I napped the afternoon away. He naps away most of his classes.
a brief period of sleep, especially one taken during daytime: Has the baby had her nap?
Origin of nap
1Other words for nap
Words Nearby nap
Other definitions for nap (2 of 4)
the short fuzzy ends of fibers on the surface of cloth, drawn up in napping.
any downy coating, as on plants.
to raise a nap on.
Origin of nap
2Other words from nap
- napless, adjective
- nap·less·ness, noun
Other definitions for nap (3 of 4)
Origin of nap
3Other definitions for -nap (4 of 4)
a combining form extracted from kidnap, with the general sense “abduct or steal in order to collect a ransom”: artnap; petnap; starnap.
Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024
How to use nap in a sentence
The last thing I want to do is spend ANY amount of time in my hotel room, because inevitably I will gravitate toward taking a nap.
I do not think they chose to wait until the Politics Report bedded down for the long winter nap but I suspect they maybe did.
Politics Report: Shirley Weber’s Shoes to Fill | Scott Lewis | December 26, 2020 | Voice of San DiegoA mask to keep the world at bayBest known for creating an extremely antisocial nap pillow a few years back, Ostrich now has a moderately antisocial eye mask to offer.
Gifts for the most stressed out people you know | Rachel Feltman | December 15, 2020 | Popular-ScienceMuch of the team had dozed off for a quick nap or busied themselves tuning up their bicycles.
How Biking Across America Formed an Unlikely Friendship | Raffi Joe Wartanian | October 8, 2020 | Outside Online“Never was a nap person in The Before and yet here we find ourselves,” Lisa Lucas, executive director of the National Book Foundation, recently observed of her own altered habits on Twitter.
Why you shouldn’t feel guilty for napping while working at home | Sarah Todd | September 20, 2020 | Quartz
You would drink it, then “take a little nap and after that you feel wonderful,” according to a press agent.
Perhaps he had been feeding off the relative youth of Paul, who appeared in need of a long nap by this point.
Mitch McConnell’s Big Day: A Turtle Suns Himself | Olivia Nuzzi | November 4, 2014 | THE DAILY BEASTResearchers have found that a long nap — of two hours or more — can significantly improve alertness for up to 24 hours.
nap Smarter So how do you make the most of your precious nap-time minutes?
A “caffeine nap,” or a quick cup of something caffeinated followed by a nap, outperforms both a nap or caffeine independently.
He ate as many as he wanted and then, as he always felt sleepy after he had eaten, he thought he would lie down and have a nap.
Squinty the Comical Pig | Richard BarnumThen came dinner and a nap under the trees until the late afternoon, when work began again.
Alila, Our Little Philippine Cousin | Mary Hazelton WadeHowever, when the church-bells began, she was turning round in her warm bed for another nap.
Elster's Folly | Mrs. Henry WoodWhen it was time for him to have a nap, and mamma went to call him, she noticed that a great many of the dandelions were gone.
He found his judge awakening from a nap before his library fire and dusting the crumbs from his beard.
Ancestors | Gertrude Atherton
British Dictionary definitions for nap (1 of 3)
/ (næp) /
to sleep for a short while; doze
to be unaware or inattentive; be off guard (esp in the phrase catch someone napping)
a short light sleep; doze
Origin of nap
1British Dictionary definitions for nap (2 of 3)
/ (næp) /
the raised fibres of velvet or similar cloth
the direction in which these fibres lie when smoothed down
any similar downy coating
Australian informal blankets, bedding
(tr) to raise the nap of (cloth, esp velvet) by brushing or similar treatment
Origin of nap
2British Dictionary definitions for nap (3 of 3)
/ (næp) /
Also called: napoleon a card game similar to whist, usually played for stakes
a call in this card game, undertaking to win all five tricks
horse racing a tipster's choice for an almost certain winner
go nap
to undertake to win all five tricks at nap
to risk everything on one chance
not to go nap on Australian slang to hold in disfavour
nap hand a position in which there is a very good chance of success if a risk is taken
(tr) horse racing to name (a horse) as likely to win a race
Origin of nap
3Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012
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