nap
1- to 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
1Synonyms for nap
See more synonyms for on Thesaurus.comnap
2- 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
2nap
3Origin of nap
3-nap
- a combining form extracted from kidnap, with the general sense “abduct or steal in order to collect a ransom”: artnap; petnap; starnap.
Lajoie
- NapoleonNap, 1875–1959, U.S. baseball player.
Related Words for nap
intermission, pause, nod, catnap, spot, rest, interlude, break, doze, respite, shuteye, siesta, snooze, wale, fiber, grit, feel, warp, roughness, downExamples from the Web for nap
Contemporary Examples of nap
Moreover, a preparatory nap counteracts the effects of sleep deprivation better than a nap taken after the missed sleep.
A “caffeine nap,” or a quick cup of something caffeinated followed by a nap, outperforms both a nap or caffeine independently.
You might not want to lose your job for a nap — unless, of course, you can land a gig at one of these places.
Nap Smarter So how do you make the most of your precious nap-time minutes?
Alan Spencer, a high school ag teacher, was in his socks, getting ready to take a nap in his van before he saw Ernst.
Historical Examples of nap
Only some chips that I'm saving till mother has her nap out.
Ester Ried Yet SpeakingIsabella Alden
Mary dismissed Garson presently, and betook herself to her bedroom for a nap.
Within the LawMarvin Dana
You feel sleepy after your meals, and willingly enjoy a nap?
The Imaginary InvalidMolire
How long my nap lasted, or what took place in the interval, I cannot say.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
The man did not stay long, however, and I got a nap as soon as he disappeared.
Ned MyersJames Fenimore Cooper
nap
1- 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
Word Origin for nap
nap
2- 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
Word Origin for nap
nap
3- 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
Word Origin for nap
Word Origin and History for nap
"downy surface of cloth," mid-15c., from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German noppe "nap, tuft of wool," probably introduced by Flemish cloth-workers. Cognate with Old English hnoppian "to pluck," ahneopan "pluck off," Old Swedish niupa "to pinch," Gothic dis-hniupan "to tear."
Old English hnappian "to doze, sleep lightly," of unknown origin, apparently related to Old High German hnaffezan, German dialectal nafzen, Norwegian napp. Related: Napped; napping.
"short spell of sleep," c.1300, from nap (v.). With take (v.) from c.1400.
"to furnish with a nap, raise the nap of," 1610s, from nap (n.1).