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, sap·ping.

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, sap·ping.

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

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

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, sap·ping.

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 /

acronym for

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

sap

²

/ 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

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

abbreviation for

1. South African Police

sap

/ săp /

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

Derived Forms

• ˈsapless, 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 ¹indef 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

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

Origin of sap²

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

Example Sentences

The concession of 42 points is the sort of thing that can sap speed in a defensive line.

From BBC

The band will play Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles on Sept. 13, the SAP Center in San Jose on Sept. 15 and the Golden 1 Center in Sacramento on Sept. 17.

From Los Angeles Times

But a lot of that stuff is just GOP orthodoxy now, with Project 2025 calling to scrap the DOE, sap the Fed’s powers, and return this country to the gold standard.

From Slate

Compared to missiles they are much cheaper to build, easier to fire, and designed to sap morale.

From BBC

Conservatives have tried to sap the authority of presidents and federal agencies to do their work, and conservative federal judges have helped them do so — blocking public health mandates during the pandemic and efforts by the Biden administration to relieve the burden of student debt, among other things.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

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