sap

¹

[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

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. 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

¹

/ 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

²

abbreviation

1. South African Police

SAP

³

/ sæp /

acronym

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

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 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

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

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

As it happens, he may get the rate cut he desires, but only because his tariff and immigration policies are sapping America’s economic strength, producing a slump that warrants a reduction.

From Los Angeles Times

But rising temperatures can play a more fundamental role by sapping moisture from the soil via evaporation.

From BBC

But when the Army Corps removed her beloved tree this year, all that remained was the jacaranda — the one that for years had left her car sticky with sap and stunk up the street.

From Los Angeles Times

Fearnley, whose background in the trash-talking US college game helps ensure he does not get fazed, sapped some energy from the home fans in a confident start.

From BBC

At the same time, prolonged drought and rising temperatures have sapped river flows and decreased the amount of water percolating underground and recharging aquifers.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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