sap

plural saps

1. uncountableThe juice of plants of any kind, especially the ascending and descending juices or circulating fluid essential to nutrition.
2. uncountableThe sapwood, or alburnum, of a tree.
3. countableuncountableAny juice.
4. countablefigurativelyuncountableVitality.

   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. countableslangA naive person; a simpleton.

   Look at the sap mowing our lawn while we pretend our own lawnmower is broken.

   2 more examples

   "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

   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

   Synonyms: milksop, saphead

present singular third person saps · participle present sapping · participle past sapped · past sapped

1. figurativelytransitiveTo 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

   2 more examples

   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. transitiveTo drain, suck or absorb sap from (a tree, etc.).

present singular third person saps · participle present sapping · participle past sapped · past sapped

1. transitiveTo make unstable or infirm; to unsettle; to weaken.

   Ring out the grief that saps the mind[…]

   1850, Alfred Tennyson, Ring, Out, Wild Bells

2. transitiveTo gradually drain (someone's energy or vitality).

   He saps my energy.

   1 more example

   to sap one’s conscience

3. transitivegovernmentTo pierce with saps.
4. transitiveTo 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

   1. intransitivetransitiveTo proceed by mining, or by secretly undermining; to execute saps.

plural saps

1. governmentA 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.

plural saps

1. UScountableslangA 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)

present singular third person saps · participle present sapping · participle past sapped · past sapped

1. slangtransitiveTo strike with a sap (with a blackjack).

   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

   1 more example

   [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)

1. abbreviationinitialismInitialism of Scientific Advisory Panel.
2. South AfricaabbreviationinitialismInitialism of South African Police.
3. South AfricaabbreviationinitialismobsoleteInitialism of South Africa Party.
4. computingSAP AG, derived from the German Initialism of Systeme, Anwendungen und Produkte in der Datenverarbeitung, one of the world's largest software companies.

plural SAPs

1. UKabbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of statutory adoption pay, payments made by an employer to an employee who is absent from work after the adoption of a child.
2. USabbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablegovernmentInitialism of special access program.
3. abbreviationacronymcountableinitialismuncountablebroadcastingAbbreviation of second audio program.
4. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableeconomicsInitialism of structural adjustment program.
5. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountablehuman sciencesInitialism of speech act participant.
6. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of superabsorbent polymer.

   Synonyms: superabsorbent polymer, super-absorbent polymer, super absorbent polymer, superabsorbing polymer, super-absorbing polymer, super absorbing polymer

7. abbreviationcountableinitialismuncountableInitialism of superabsorbent powder, made of superabsorbent polymer.

   Synonyms: superabsorbent powder, super-absorbent powder, super absorbent powder, superabsorbing powder, super-absorbing powder, super absorbing powder, superabsorbent polymer powder, super-absorbent polymer powder