sap
English
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /sæp/
Audio (US) (file) - Rhymes: -æp
Etymology 1
From Middle English sap, from Old English sæp (“juice, sap”), from Proto-Germanic *sapą (“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”), Armenian համ (ham, “juice, taste”), Avestan 𐬬𐬌-𐬱𐬁𐬞𐬀 (vi-šāpa, “having poisonous juices”), Sanskrit सबर् (sabar, “juice, nectar”)). More at sage.
Noun
sap (countable and uncountable, plural saps)
Derived terms
Translations
|
|
Verb
sap (third-person singular simple present saps, present participle sapping, simple past and past participle sapped)
Etymology 2
Probably from sapling.
Noun
sap (plural saps)
Translations
|
|
Verb
sap (third-person singular simple present saps, present participle sapping, simple past and past participle sapped)
- (transitive, slang) To strike with a sap (with a blackjack).
Etymology 3
From French saper (compare Spanish zapar and Italian zappare) from sape (“sort of scythe”), from Late Latin sappa (“sort of mattock”).
Noun
sap (plural saps)
Derived terms
Translations
Verb
sap (third-person singular simple present saps, present participle sapping, simple past and past participle sapped)
- (transitive) To subvert by digging or wearing away; to mine; to undermine; to destroy the foundation of.
- (Can we date this quote?) John Dryden
- Nor safe their dwellings were, for sapped by floods, / Their houses fell upon their household gods.
- (Can we date this quote?) John Dryden
- (transitive, military) To pierce with saps.
- (transitive) To make unstable or infirm; to unsettle; to weaken.
- 1850, Alfred Tennyson, Ring, Out, Wild Bells
- Ring out the grief that saps the mind […]
- 1850, Alfred Tennyson, Ring, Out, Wild Bells
- (transitive) To gradually weaken.
- to sap one’s conscience
- (intransitive) To proceed by mining, or by secretly undermining; to execute saps.
Translations
|
|
Aromanian
Alternative forms
- sapu, tsap, tsapu
Catalan
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /sap/
- Rhymes: -ap
Dutch
Etymology
From Middle Dutch sap, from Old Dutch *sap, from Proto-Germanic *sapą. Cognate to English sap and German Saft (from Old High German saf).[1]
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /sɑp/
Audio (file) - Rhymes: -ɑp
Noun
sap n (plural sappen, diminutive sapje n)
- sap (fluid in plants)
- juice
- Hyponyms: aalbessensap, appelsap, citroensap, druivensap, sinaasappelsap, vruchtensap
Derived terms
References
- J. de Vries & F. de Tollenaere, "Etymologisch Woordenboek", Uitgeverij Het Spectrum, Utrecht, 1986 (14de druk)
Romani
Volapük
Pronunciation
- IPA(key): /sɑːp/
Zhuang
Pronunciation
- (Standard Zhuang) IPA(key): /θaːp˧˥/
- Tone numbers: sap7
- Hyphenation: sap