neap

¹ American  

[neep] / nip /

adjective

1. designating tides midway between spring tides that attain the least height.

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noun

1. neap tide.

neap ² American  

[neep] / nip /

noun

New England.

1. the pole or tongue of a cart, wagon, etc., drawn by two animals side by side.

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neap British  

/ niːp /

adjective

1. of, relating to, or constituting a neap tide

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noun

1. short for neap tide

Etymology

Origin of neap¹

before 900; Middle English neep, Old English nēp-, in nēpflōd neap tide

Origin of neap²

1545–55 origin uncertain

Example Sentences

The smallest tides, called neap tides, occur when the Sun is at a 90º angle to the Earth-Moon alignment.

From Textbooks • Aug. 12, 2015

Last week's was not only ebb but neap tide.

From Time Magazine Archive

There was a neap tide, and the current was near slack.

From Time Magazine Archive

Sometimes the sun and moon act together, and we have what are called spring tides; sometimes they act against one another, and we have neap tides.

From The Outline of Science, Vol. 1 (of 4) A Plain Story Simply Told by Thomson, J. Arthur

"A good rise and fall for neap tides," remarked one of the men.

From Rounding up the Raider A Naval Story of the Great War by Westerman, Percy F. (Percy Francis)