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• nap
  nap

  verb (used without object)

  to sleep for a short time; doze.
• -nap
  -nap

  a combining form extracted from kidnap, with the general sense “abduct or steal in order to collect a ransom”.

nap

¹ American  

[nap] / næp /

verb (used without object)

napped, napping

1. to sleep for a short time; doze.

   Synonyms:

   catnap, rest, nod

2. to be off one's guard.

   The question caught him napping.

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verb (used with object)

napped, napping

1. to sleep or doze through (a period of time, an activity, etc.) (usually followed byaway ).

   I napped the afternoon away. He naps away most of his classes.

noun

1. a brief period of sleep, especially one taken during daytime.

   Has the baby had her nap?

nap ² American  

[nap] / næp /

noun

1. the short fuzzy ends of fibers on the surface of cloth, drawn up in napping.

2. any downy coating, as on plants.

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verb (used with object)

napped, napping

1. to raise a nap on.

nap ³ American  

[nap] / næp /

noun

1. napoleon.

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-nap ⁴ American  

1. a combining form extracted from kidnap, with the general sense “abduct or steal in order to collect a ransom”.

   artnap; petnap; starnap.

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nap ¹ British  

/ næp /

noun

1. Also called: napoleon.  a card game similar to whist, usually played for stakes

2. a call in this card game, undertaking to win all five tricks

3. horse racing a tipster's choice for an almost certain winner

4. 1. to undertake to win all five tricks at nap

   2. to risk everything on one chance

5. slang to hold in disfavour

6. a position in which there is a very good chance of success if a risk is taken

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verb

1. (tr) horse racing to name (a horse) as likely to win a race

nap ² British  

/ næp /

noun

1. 1. the raised fibres of velvet or similar cloth

   2. the direction in which these fibres lie when smoothed down

2. any similar downy coating

3. informal blankets, bedding

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verb

1. (tr) to raise the nap of (cloth, esp velvet) by brushing or similar treatment

nap ³ British  

/ næp /

verb

1. to sleep for a short while; doze

2. to be unaware or inattentive; be off guard (esp in the phrase catch someone napping )

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noun

1. a short light sleep; doze

Other Word Forms

• naplessness
  noun
• napless
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of nap¹

First recorded before 900; Middle English verb nappen, Old English hnappian, hnæppian “to sleep, slumber, doze”; cognate with Old High German (h)naffezen, Middle High German, German nafzen “to slumber”

Origin of nap²

First recorded in 1400–50; late Middle English noppe, nop(e); probably from Middle Low German, Middle Dutch, nop, noppe; possibly from Old English (wull)hnoppa “(wool) tuft, tuft”

Origin of nap³

First recorded in 1820–25; shortened form of napoleon

Explanation

If you’re really tired during the day, go ahead and take a nap, even if you have to hide under your desk. A nap is a brief sleep. Good night. When you take a nap, you rest, usually during the daytime. In some cultures, everybody naps after lunch, while in other places naps are only for young children and elderly people. Sigh. A second meaning of nap is "slightly fuzzy texture," like the nap of a jacket or the nap of a rug. This kind of nap stems from the Middle Low German noppe, "tuft of wool."

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

nap napped napping

Once everyone is locked in, COs get to lounge around inside the bubble: eat, drink coffee, flirt with each other, complain, maybe nap until they have to perform the 10:30 p.m. count.

From Slate ● Aug. 11, 2026

I add the hours of my nap to my night sleep.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 10, 2026

He was physically unscathed and remarkably sanguine about the drone that had shattered his routine afternoon nap just hours earlier.

From BBC ● Aug. 6, 2026

The author is a proud mother of two, nap queen and snack advocate.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026

Captain Smith lay down in the boat to take a nap.

From "Blood on the River" by Elisa Carbone

Some napped on a beach with their faces shielded from the sun by plastic bags or T-shirts, while others rested with backpacks tucked beneath their heads.

From Barron's ● Aug. 6, 2026

A few times, she has napped outside in the snow.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 3, 2026

I didn’t look at my phone for days, and when B napped, I spent time among her things so I had the feeling of getting to know them.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 19, 2025

“I love this place,” Marion said in the space where a half-dozen other people napped and charged their phones.

From Seattle Times ● May 27, 2024

Even when the baby napped, there were soiled diapers to scrub and leave to soak in a pail of the disinfectant that the girl had insisted Rasheed buy for her.

From "A Thousand Splendid Suns" by Khaled Hosseini

Though some providers schedule young children for 40 hours a week of therapy, CMS says that this is “not a best practice” and that children need time for normal activities like napping and eating.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 4, 2026

Strategic napping is also a power move to help refresh the brain for the afternoon.

From BBC ● Jul. 6, 2026

I’m surprised Rubio didn’t trot out after the cameras caught Trump napping to testify that he’s never seen him asleep.

From Salon ● Jun. 19, 2026

Wi Spa, with its hot and cold tubs, specialty saunas and napping nooks, has long been a beloved L.A. destination for rest and rejuvenation.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 5, 2026

Grandma Rose is napping on the sofa when we walk through the door.

From "You Bring the Distant Near" by Mitali Perkins