sap

¹

[sap]

noun

1. a short club with a heavy tip that is used as a weapon; blackjack; bludgeon.

   The burglar carried a set of lockpicks and a sap.

verb (used with object)

1. to hit (someone) with a club.

   If he tries to sneak out, I'll sap him over the head.

sap

²

[sap]

noun

1. Fortification.,  a deep, narrow trench constructed so as to form an approach to a besieged place or an enemy's position.

verb (used with object)

sapped, sapping 

1. to undermine; gradually or insidiously weaken or destroy.

   Synonyms: undermine, weaken, tire, impair, exhaust, enfeeble, enervate, drain, deplete

2. Fortification.

   1. to approach (a besieged place or an enemy position) by means of deep, narrow trenches protected by gabions or parapets.

   2. to dig such trenches in (ground).

verb (used without object)

sapped, sapping 

1. Fortification.,  to dig a sap.

sap

³

[sap]

noun

1. the juice or vital circulating fluid of a plant, especially of a woody plant.

2. any vital body fluid.

3. energy; vitality.

4. sapwood.

5. Slang.,  a fool; sucker; dupe.

6. Metallurgy.,  soft metal at the core of a bar of blister steel.

verb (used with object)

sapped, sapping 

1. to drain the sap from.

SAP

¹

abbreviation

1. South African Police

SAP

²

/ sæp /

acronym

1. Standard Assessment Procedure, the recognized performance indicator for measuring energy efficiency in buildings

sap

³

/ sæp /

noun

1. a solution of mineral salts, sugars, etc, that circulates in a plant

2. any vital body fluid

3. energy; vigour

4. slang,  a gullible or foolish person

5. another name for sapwood

verb

1. to drain of sap

sap

⁴

/ sæp /

noun

1. a deep and narrow trench used to approach or undermine an enemy position, esp in siege warfare

verb

1. to undermine (a fortification, etc) by digging saps

2. (tr) to weaken

sap

1. The watery fluid that circulates through a plant that has vascular tissues. Sap moving up the xylem carries water and minerals, while sap moving down the phloem carries water and food.

2. See cell sap

Other Word Forms

• sapless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of sap¹

First recorded in 1895–1900; perhaps shortening of sapling or sapwood (used as a tool or weapon)

Origin of sap²

First recorded in 1585–95; from French noun sape “spade, spadework,” derivative of saper “to dig a trench,” from Italian zappare “to undermine,” a military term, based on zappa “hoe”

Origin of sap³

First recorded before 900; Middle English; Old English sæp; cognate with Dutch sap; akin to German Saft juice, Old Norse safi; sap ¹ in def. 5 a shortening of saphead

Word History and Origins

Origin of sap¹

Old English sæp; related to Old High German sapf, German Saft juice, Middle Low German sapp, Sanskrit sabar milk juice

Origin of sap²

C16 zappe, from Italian zappa spade, of uncertain origin; perhaps from Old Italian (dialect) zappo a goat

Example Sentences

But if their presence somewhat saps our national story of its romanticism, it only adds to its deep interest.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

They were hunting for Tokyo Rose, the owner of a voice that sought to sap military morale by spreading propaganda through countless scratchy Allied radios.

Read more on Los Angeles Times

My energy is quickly sapping away, and the last thing I hear is Autumn’s muffled voice from above.

Read more on Literature

“Don’t be a sap, Faucet. Her bark is worse than her bite. Ha!”

Read more on Literature

Kyiv and its Western partners call the attacks cynical attempts to sap society's morale by plunging millions into the cold and dark as temperatures drop below freezing.

Read more on Barron's

Related Words

• blunt 
• deplete 
• destroy 
• drain 
• erode 
• exhaust 
• impair 
• ruin 
• undermine 
• vitiate 
• wreck