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.

---

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.

---

verb (used with object)

napped, napping

1. to raise a nap on.

nap ³ American  

[nap] / næp /

noun

1. napoleon.

---

-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.

---

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

---

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

---

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 )

---

noun

1. a short light sleep; doze

Other Word Forms

• napless adjective
• naplessness noun

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

Example Sentences

“I never take a nap that first day,” he says.

From The Wall Street Journal

I was tempted to go across the street for a nap at my motel, the Starlight Motor Inn, built in 1961 and reopened in 2023.

From The Wall Street Journal

“When we talk about the future here, it’s not just that people can commute farther and they can nap in the car,” Chi told MarketWatch.

From MarketWatch

One December day, as I napped in the car, my father pulled off the highway and headed toward Gettysburg.

From The Wall Street Journal

I want to run in eight directions and throw things and scream and take a nap and pull my hair out all at once, but I don’t have those options, so I just…don’t.

From Literature