nap

¹

[ nap ]

verb (used without object)

, napped, nap·ping.

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, nap·ping.

1. to sleep or doze through (a period of time, an activity, etc.) (usually followed by away ):

   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

[ nap ]

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, nap·ping.

1. to raise a nap on.

nap

³

[ nap ]

noun

1. napoleon ( defs 2, 3 ).

-nap

⁴

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

/ næp /

noun

1. Also callednapoleon 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. go nap
   1. to undertake to win all five tricks at nap
   2. to risk everything on one chance
5. not to go nap on slang.
   to hold in disfavour
6. nap hand
   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

/ 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

/ 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 Words From

• napless adjective
• napless·ness noun

Word History and Origins

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of nap¹

C19: short for napoleon , the original name of the card game

Origin of nap²

C15: probably from Middle Dutch noppe; related to Old English hnoppian to pluck

Origin of nap³

Old English hnappian; related to Middle High German napfen

Example Sentences

A daily nap and careful budgeting of my time and effort help with the fatigue.

From BBC

The study sheds light on how sleep, specifically a short nap, influences brain activity associated with motor skill improvement, with implications for optimizing rehabilitation strategies.

From Science Daily

"This study highlights the power of sleep, even a short nap, in enhancing motor learning for individuals with brain injury," said lead author Dr. Lequerica, senior research scientist in the Center for Traumatic Brain Injury Research and director of the Brain Injury and Behavioral Outcomes Laboratory.

From Science Daily

"Our fMRI data suggest that motor tasks practiced before a nap become more automated during sleep. By decreasing activation in key brain regions, such as the anterior cingulate and cerebellum, napping may facilitate a smoother, less effortful retrieval of learned motor sequences."

From Science Daily

The sleep group had a 45-minute nap, while the wake group remained awake, watching a documentary.

From Science Daily