Dictionary

sap en · NOUN · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /sæp/
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sap-der. Proto-West Germanic *sap Old English sæp Middle English sap English sap From Middle English sap, from Old English sæp (“juice, sap”), from Proto-West Germanic *sap (“sap, juice”) (compare Dutch sap, German Saft, Icelandic safi), from Proto-Indo-European *sab-, *sap- (“to taste”) (compare Welsh syb-wydd (“fir”), Latin sapa (“must, new wine”), Russian со́пли (sópli, “snivel”), Old Armenian համ (ham, “taste”), Avestan 𐬬𐬌-𐬱𐬁𐬞𐬀 (vi-šāpa, “having poisonous juices”), Sanskrit सबर् (sabar, “juice, nectar”)). More at sage. sap (“naive person”) is a clipping of sapskull (literally “person with sap in their skull”).

Meanings

1. (uncountable) The juice of plants of any kind, especially the ascending and descending juices or circulating fluid essential to nutrition.
2. (uncountable) The sapwood, or alburnum, of a tree.
3. (countable, uncountable) Any juice.
4. (countable, figuratively, uncountable) Vitality.
   • In the preceding centuries the Ashkenazic Synagogue song had been Germanized to a degree that jeopardized not only its distinctive Jewishness but its very existence. In Eastern Europe, on the other hand, the ever-renewed Oriental sap penetrated also into the song. 1929, Abraham Zevi Idelsohn, Jewish Music: Its Historical Development, page 183:
5. (countable, slang) A naive person; a simpleton.
   • She said I'm such a sap, I'm such a jerk / Can't I ever forget the way that we are / Spend all your time with your eyes on the ground / Looking for the stars 1997, “Don't Look Down”, in Curtains, performed by Tindersticks:
   • Look at the sap mowing our lawn while we pretend our own lawnmower is broken.
   • "Or trying to reproduce it." "The Mafia wouldn't do that." "Don't be a sap," Hiro says. "Of course they would." Y.T. seems miffed at Hiro. 1992, Neal Stephenson, Snow Crash, page 234:

Forms

Deriveds

sap ball · crude sap · sapcicle · cell sap · sappy · tree sap · elaborated sap · sapfest · sapsucker · pinesap · sap tube · sapskull · sap shield · sapstreak · sap green · sapwood · sapheaded · sap rot · sapless · sap stain · sap moon · milk-sap · sap poison · saplike · saphead · sapling · sapful · pine sap · coconut sap · sapsucking

Synonyms

saphead · milksop

Translations (149)

gl sámago (sapwood of a tree) · ami 'adeteng (juice of plant) · ba һут (juice of plant) · pdt Sauft (juice of plant) · tl dagta (juice of plant) · de Splint (sapwood of a tree) · fi tomppeli (slang: naive person) · it sempliciotto (slang: naive person) · ru простофиля (slang: naive person) · hy հույզ (juice of plant) · dsb brjacka (juice of plant) · enm sap (sapwood of a tree) · he שרף (juice of plant) · vi mủ (juice of plant) · ro sevă (juice of plant) · bg беловина (sapwood of a tree) · ia succo (juice of plant) · kok दीख (juice of plant) · sa निर्यास (juice of plant) · gd sùgh (sapwood of a tree) · cs míza (juice of plant) · mi tawau (juice of plant) · ja 樹液 (juice of plant) · mk сок (juice of plant) · km ស្រាយ (sapwood of a tree) · gl caloio (slang: naive person) · ja 汁 (juice of plant) · ko 즙 (juice of plant) · enm sap (juice of plant) · gl zurrio (juice of plant) · id getah (juice of plant) · ru сок (juice of plant) · cmn 汁 (juice of plant) · hu balek (slang: naive person) · nb sevje (juice of plant) · gl papoio (slang: naive person) · gl zume (juice of plant) · de Saft (juice of plant) · ro fraier (slang: naive person) · bcl duga (juice of plant) · he פראייר (slang: naive person) · be сок (juice of plant) · nl slappeling (slang: naive person) · km ឆោត (slang: naive person) · la sucus (juice of plant) · hi गोंद (juice of plant) · km រុក្ខរស (juice of plant) · pdt Laups (slang: naive person) · gl vizo (juice of plant) · fi mahla (juice of plant) · nl imbeciel (slang: naive person) · izh mahla (juice of plant) · nl idioot (slang: naive person) · kaw gĕtih (juice of plant) · fr sève (juice of plant) · fa شیره (juice of plant) · gl seiva (juice of plant) · tpi blut (juice of plant) · th น้ำเลี้ยง (juice of plant) · wmw unoni (juice of plant) · pam agta (juice of plant) · gl samo (sapwood of a tree) · dsb mězga (juice of plant) · ca saba (juice of plant) · gl bobiche (slang: naive person) · te పాలు (juice of plant) · it linfa (juice of plant) · nl spint (sapwood of a tree) · it alburno (sapwood of a tree) · la alburnum (sapwood of a tree) · fa برونچوب (sapwood of a tree) · as কহ (juice of plant) · vi nhựa (juice of plant) · kok dikh (juice of plant) · mi pia (juice of plant) · hi अर्क (juice of plant) · et piimmahl (juice of plant) · sk miazga (juice of plant) · mk бело́вина (sapwood of a tree) · rif aserɣaɣ (juice of plant) · nl spinthout (sapwood of a tree) · da træsaft (juice of plant) · gl bausán (slang: naive person) · haw wai (juice of plant) · mi tarawai (juice of plant) · km ជ័រ (juice of plant) · rar tāpau (juice of plant) · nl simpele (slang: naive person) · de Mantelholz (sapwood of a tree) · es savia (juice of plant) · fi nila (sapwood of a tree) · nl sap (juice of plant) · gl parvallán (slang: naive person) · fa اسکل (slang: naive person) · tpi blut (sapwood of a tree) · mi ware (juice of plant) · wmw urokozi (juice of plant) · bg мъзга (juice of plant) · eu izerdi (juice of plant) · pam adta (juice of plant) · gl aba (sapwood of a tree) · to pulu (juice of plant) · gl alubra (sapwood of a tree) · lt sula (sapwood of a tree) · gd brìgh (sapwood of a tree) · hi निर्यास (juice of plant) · fr nigaud (slang: naive person) · ar عُصَارَة (juice of plant) · sa रस (juice of plant) · jra kơtăk (juice of plant) · ar نُسْغ (juice of plant) · tr öz su (juice of plant) · ne चोप (juice of plant) · gd brìgh (juice of plant) · sw utomvu (juice of plant) · km រស (juice of plant) · sv sav (juice of plant) · ms getah (juice of plant) · pl sok mleczny (juice of plant) · es albura (sapwood of a tree) · es simplón (slang: naive person) · gl sarxa (juice of plant) · pt seiva (juice of plant) · fi tollo (slang: naive person) · ru простак (slang: naive person) · ko 수액 (juice of plant) · az şirə (juice of plant) · haw kaikea (juice of plant) · no tosk (slang: naive person) · de Simpel (slang: naive person) · cmn 樹液 /树液 (juice of plant) · bg простак (slang: naive person) · ccc ijsana'to (juice of plant) · ka წვენი (juice of plant) · nrf sève (juice of plant) · fi hölmö (slang: naive person) · ty tāpau (juice of plant) · de Einfaltspinsel (slang: naive person) · de Heulsuse (slang: naive person) · bg сок (juice of plant) · lv sula (sapwood of a tree) · ba һыу (juice of plant) · uk сік (juice of plant) · haw kohu (juice of plant) · fr naïf (slang: naive person) · ru за́болонь (sapwood of a tree) · mk про́стак (slang: naive person) · nn sevje (juice of plant) · hi अरक (juice of plant)

sap en · VERB · etymology 1

Pronunciation

• /sæp/
• (US) audio

Etymology

Etymology tree Proto-Indo-European *sap-der. Proto-West Germanic *sap Old English sæp Middle English sap English sap From Middle English sap, from Old English sæp (“juice, sap”), from Proto-West Germanic *sap (“sap, juice”) (compare Dutch sap, German Saft, Icelandic safi), from Proto-Indo-European *sab-, *sap- (“to taste”) (compare Welsh syb-wydd (“fir”), Latin sapa (“must, new wine”), Russian со́пли (sópli, “snivel”), Old Armenian համ (ham, “taste”), Avestan 𐬬𐬌-𐬱𐬁𐬞𐬀 (vi-šāpa, “having poisonous juices”), Sanskrit सबर् (sabar, “juice, nectar”)). More at sage. sap (“naive person”) is a clipping of sapskull (literally “person with sap in their skull”).

Meanings

1. (figuratively, transitive) To exhaust the vitality of.
   • While Tuchel will be delighted with the way his players responded, there will be concern at how much the energy-sapping 120 minutes has taken out of them. 2022 April 12, Neil Johnston, “Real Madrid 2-3 Chelsea”, in BBC Sport:
   • Somewhat he knoweth of art magical, yet useth not that art; for it sappeth the life and strength, nor is it held worthy that a Demon should put trust in that art, but rather in his own might and main. 1922, E[ric] R[ücker] Eddison, The Worm Ouroboros: A Romance, London: Jonathan Cape […], →OCLC, page 6:
   • Alcaraz flew out of the blocks in the first-to-10 match tie-break of the deciding set, sapping every last bit of Sinner's energy before sealing victory with a remarkable running forehand winner that fizzed down the line. 2025 June 8, Jonathan Jurejko, “Alcaraz stuns Sinner in extraordinary French Open final”, in BBC:
2. (transitive) To drain, suck or absorb sap from (a tree, etc.).

Forms

sap en · NOUN · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /sæp/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From French saper (compare Spanish zapar and Italian zappare) from sape (“sort of scythe”), from Late Latin sappa (“sort of mattock”). The sense evolution of from “subvert by digging” to “weaken” was influenced by the sense above “drain wood of sap” as trench warfare receded from public conscience.

Meanings

1. A narrow ditch or trench made from the foremost parallel toward the glacis or covert way of a besieged place by digging under cover of gabions, etc.

Forms

Deriveds

sap roller · sap fagot · sapper

Translations (10)

fr sape (narrow ditch or trench) · cs sapa (narrow ditch or trench) · fi katettu juoksuhauta (narrow ditch or trench) · bg покрит окоп (narrow ditch or trench) · ru са́па (narrow ditch or trench) · sv skyttegrav (narrow ditch or trench) · is skotgröf (narrow ditch or trench) · gv fo-chlash (narrow ditch or trench) · sv löpgrav (narrow ditch or trench) · de Laufgraben (narrow ditch or trench)

sap en · VERB · etymology 2

Pronunciation

• /sæp/
• (US) audio

Etymology

From French saper (compare Spanish zapar and Italian zappare) from sape (“sort of scythe”), from Late Latin sappa (“sort of mattock”). The sense evolution of from “subvert by digging” to “weaken” was influenced by the sense above “drain wood of sap” as trench warfare receded from public conscience.

Meanings

1. (transitive) To make unstable or infirm; to unsettle; to weaken.
   • Ring out the grief that saps the mind[…] 1850, Alfred Tennyson, Ring, Out, Wild Bells:
2. (transitive) To gradually drain (someone's energy or vitality).
   • to sap one’s conscience
   • He saps my energy.
3. (transitive) To pierce with saps.
4. (transitive) To subvert by digging or wearing away; to mine; to undermine; to destroy the foundation of.
   • Nor safe their dwellings were, for sapped by floods, / Their houses fell upon their household gods. 1717, John Dryden [et al.], “(please specify |book=I to XV)”, in Ovid’s Metamorphoses in Fifteen Books. […], London: […] Jacob Tonson, […], →OCLC:
5. (intransitive, transitive) To subvert by digging or wearing away; to mine; to undermine; to destroy the foundation of. ▸ To proceed by mining, or by secretly undermining; to execute saps.

Forms

Deriveds

unsapped

Translations (34)

nl ondergraven (proceed by mining) · it fiaccare (make unstable; weaken) · nl ondermijnen (make unstable; weaken) · es zapar (undermine) · fr miner (undermine) · nl verzwakken (make unstable; weaken) · es socavar (undermine) · nl ondermijnen (undermine) · fi kuluttaa (gradually drain) · it minare (undermine) · io sapar (undermine) · pt socavar (undermine) · fi heikentää (make unstable; weaken) · nl aantasten (make unstable; weaken) · it indebolire (make unstable; weaken) · fi uuvuttaa (make unstable; weaken) · fr saper (undermine) · ru иссуша́ть (gradually drain) · nl ondergraven (undermine) · nl ondermijnen (proceed by mining) · bg подкопавам (undermine) · ro submina (undermine) · nl uitputten (gradually drain) · gv towl (pierce with saps) · it scalzare (undermine) · fi heikentää (gradually drain) · it logorare (make unstable; weaken) · bg омаломощавам (make unstable; weaken) · ru истощать (gradually drain) · ro săpa (undermine) · de erschöpfen (gradually drain) · nl aantasten (undermine) · de aufzehren (gradually drain) · fi kaivaa maata alta (undermine)

sap en · NOUN · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• /sæp/
• (US) audio

Etymology

Probably from sapling.

Meanings

1. (US, countable, slang) A short wooden club; a leather-covered hand weapon; a blackjack.
   • I risk my whole future, the hatred of the cops and Eddie Mars' gang. I dodge bullets and eat saps. 1944, William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett, Jules Furthman, The Big Sleep (screenplay)

Forms

Translations (4)

it manganello (leather-covered hand weapon) · nl ploertendoder (leather-covered hand weapon) · bg палка (leather-covered hand weapon) · fr matraque (leather-covered hand weapon)

sap en · VERB · etymology 3

Pronunciation

• /sæp/
• (US) audio

Etymology

Probably from sapling.

Meanings

1. (slang, transitive) To strike with a sap (with a blackjack).
   • [A]s he passes the mouth of a narrow alley two men step out quickly. One of them saps Marlowe expertly — they drag him out of sight. 1944, William Faulkner, Leigh Brackett, Jules Furthman, The Big Sleep (screenplay)
   • And when he had me up there he would sap me again and I wouldn't remember anything that happened in between the two sappings. 1964, Raymond Chandler, Killer in the Rain:

Forms

Translations (3)

bg ударя с палка (strike with a sap) · bg удрям с палка (strike with a sap) · nl knuppelen (strike with a sap)