sappyadj.n.
/ˈsapi/, U.S. /ˈsæpi/ 1. Of a plant or tree or its parts, of wood: Abounding in sap.
ΘΚΠ
the world > plants > part of plant > plant substances > [adjective] > having fluid or sap
sappy1100
moista1382
wateryc1425
fatty1552
juiced1597
succulent1601
juiceful1619
succiferous1655
lymphatic1673
racy1676
lymphous1682
succous1694
succose1859
sebaceous1899
1100 Aldhelm Glosses i. 546 in A. S. Napier Old Eng. Glosses (1900) 16/1 Suculentus, sæpig stela.
c1440 Promptorium Parvulorum 441/1 Sapy, or fulle of sap, cariosus.
a1555 R. Samuel Let. in J. Foxe Actes & Monuments (1570) III. 1880/2 Began they not first with the grene and sappy tree?
1579 W. Wilkinson Confut. Familye of Loue Ep. Ded. sig. *ij The Vine..stretcheth abroad his sappy braunches.
1593 W. Shakespeare Venus & Adonis sig. Biiijv Herbes for their smell, and sappie plants to beare. View more context for this quotation
1600 R. Surflet tr. C. Estienne & J. Liébault Maison Rustique ii. liv. 383 The citron tree is a great deale more sappie and full of iuice for to make nourishment of then the limon tree.
1693 J. Evelyn tr. J. de La Quintinie Compl. Gard'ner ii. iv. xxxvi. 58 Branches, of which the Wood is..extreamly Pithy, or Sappy.
1708 J. Philips Cyder ii. 75 When the sappy Boughs Attire themselves with Blooms.
1842 Ld. Tennyson Amphion in Poems (new ed.) II. 169 But these [sc. exotic plants], though fed with careful dirt, Are neither green nor sappy.
1884 F. O. Bower & D. H. Scott tr. H. A. de Bary Compar. Anat. Phanerogams & Ferns 425 Sappy masses of parenchyma.
2. figurative in various applications.† c. Immature, unseasoned. Obsolete.
a. Full of vitality.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > manner of action > vigour or energy > [adjective]
sprindeOE
livelyOE
kaskc1300
wightc1300
courageousc1386
wighty14..
wieldya1413
ablec1440
tall of hand1530
sappy1558
energical1565
energetical1585
greenya1586
stout1600
strenuous1602
forceful?1624
actuous1626
vigorous1638
vivid1638
high-spirited1653
hearty1665
actuose1677
living1699
full-blooded1707
executive1708
rugged1731
sousing1735
energic1740
bouncing1743
two-fisted1774
energetic1782
zestful1797
rollicking1801
through-ganging1814
throughgoing1814
slashing1828
high-powered1829
high pressure1834
rip-roaring1834
red-blooded1836
ripsnorting1846
zesty1853
dynamic1856
throbbing1864
goey1875
torpedoic1893
kinky1903
zippy1903
go-at-it1904
punchy1907
up-and-at-'em1909
driving1916
vibranta1929
kinetic1931
zinging1931
high-octane1936
zingy1938
slam-bang1939
balls-to-the-wall1967
balls-out1968
ass-kicking1977
hi-octane1977
1558 T. Phaer tr. Virgil Seuen First Bks. Eneidos vi. sig. Q.jv Well agyd now, but sappy strength he kepes of grener yeres.
1879 J. Burroughs Locusts & Wild Honey 91 A rank, sappy race like the English or German.
b. Full of ‘goodness’ or substance.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > goodness and badness > quality of being good > [adjective]
goodOE
winlyOE
snella1000
winc1275
boonc1325
cleana1375
tidya1375
positivea1398
comelyc1400
kindc1400
kindly?a1425
well-formeda1425
trim?a1513
wally?a1513
bonnya1525
delicatea1533
goodlike1562
sappy1563
bein1567
rum1567
benedict1576
warrantable1581
true (also good, sure) as touch1590
goodlisomea1603
respectable1603
clever1738
amusing1753
plummy1787
bone1793
brickish1843
mooi1850
ryebuck1859
spandy1868
greatisha1871
healthy1878
popular1884
beefy1903
onkus1910
quies1919
cushty1929
high-powered1969
not shabby1975
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > vigour or force > [adjective]
sensiblea1393
eloquent1393
rhetoricc1450
mightya1500
pithy1529
grave1541
pithful1548
weighty1560
sappy1563
emphatical1567
fasta1568
thwacking1567
forceful1571
enforceable1589
energetical1596
eloquious1599
sinewy1600
emphatic1602
sinewed1604
strong1604
tonitruous1606
nervose1645
nervous1663
energetic1674
energic1683
strong1685
cogent1718
lapidary1724
forcible1726
authoritative1749
terse1777
telling1819
vigorous1821
sturdy1822
tonitruant1861
meaty1874
vertebrate1882
energized1887
jawy1898
heavy1970
society > leisure > the arts > literature > style of language or writing > conciseness > [adjective] > concise and forcible
pithy1529
pithful1548
sappy1563
fasta1568
compact1576
close1670
terse1777
1563 L. Blundeston in B. Googe Eglogs Epytaphes & Sonettes Pref. sig. B.iiiv The sappye Sence of this his passyng Ryme.
1567 T. Drant in tr. Horace Arte of Poetrie To Rdr. sig. *vj He that is least acquainted wyth suche trashe, and pelfe wyll better perceaue suche thinges whych be sauerye and sappye.
1584 R. Greene Gwydonius f. 30v The sugured Eloquence, which so sweetlye flowed from the sappie wit of Gwydonius.
1601 J. Marston et al. Iacke Drums Entertainm. iv. sig. F4v What thinke you of the lines of Decius? Writes he not a good cordiall sappie stile?
1948 F. R. Leavis Great Trad. ii. 111 The Portrait of a Lady belongs to the sappiest phase of James's art, when the hypertrophy of technique hadn't yet set in.
ΘΚΠ
the world > action or operation > undertaking > preparation > unpreparedness > [adjective] > unready or immature
green?a1300
rawa1398
indigest1398
unmatured?a1425
unripea1500
unseasonable1515
unbuilded1519
inchoate1534
unripened1561
uncivil1572
unmellowed1573
unmanured1577
unblown1587
ungrown1593
unpolished1594
rudimental1597
rude1600
unsalted1602
unseasoned1602
unlicked1612
embryon1613
unbakeda1616
unbloweda1616
unfledged1615
unmellow1615
sappya1627
embryous1628
unconcocteda1631
unkneaded1633
immature1635
sucking1648
vacuous1651
embryo1659
unelaborate1663
unmature1673
unformed1689
undeveloped1736
infantile1772
uncultivated1796
unelaborated1817
fetal1820
embryotic1823
embryonic1825
embryonary1833
sophomoric1837
seedling1843
rudimentary1851
unwrought1869
juvenescent1875
vealy1890
under-developed1892
a1627 J. Hayward Life & Raigne Edward Sixt (1630) 3 When he had passed this weake and sappie age he was committed to Dr. Coxe.
1654 R. Whitlock Ζωοτομία 365 A Creature of that Sappy Sapience (for it selfe) as too green to burn for Religion.
a. Of fruit. Also as epithet of the juice.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > [adjective] > juicy or sappy
wlonk1398
frimc1400
juicyc1430
sappy1562
sapful1674
the world > plants > valued plants and weeds > edible product or fruit > [adjective] > juicy
sappy1562
1562 W. Bullein Bk. Compoundes f. 33, in Bulwarke of Defence Make your balles with the sappie iuce of the beries.
1590 E. Spenser Faerie Queene ii. xii. sig. Aa6v The riper fruit..Whose sappy liquor, that with fulnesse sweld, Into her cup she scruzd.
1604 E. Grimeston tr. J. de Acosta Nat. & Morall Hist. Indies vii. ix. 519 Tomates which is a great sappy and savourie graine.
1652 N. Culpeper Eng. Physitian Enlarged (1656) 33 After which succeed round, reddish, sappy Berries.
1672 N. Grew Anat. Veg. vii. 175 In its first and juvenile Constitution, is a very Spongy and Sappy Body.
b. Of meat, fish, etc.
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > consistency of food > [adjective] > juicy
juicyc1430
sappyc1540
succulent1669
c1540 J. Bellenden in tr. H. Boece Hyst. & Cron. Scotl. sig. Biiij In this region ar mony fair ky & oxin,..the talloun of thair wambis is sa sappy, that it fresis neuir.
a1758 A. Ramsay Epist. to Hamilton (Herrings) i Braw sappy fish As ane could wish.
1825 J. Wilson Noctes Ambrosianae xix, in Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. Mar. 381 Their flesh will be the sappier.
4. Fat; plump. Obsolete exc. dialect.
ΘΚΠ
the world > life > the body > bodily shape or physique > broad shape or physique > [adjective] > fat or plump
fatc893
frimOE
fullOE
overfatOE
greatOE
bald1297
roundc1300
encorsivea1340
fattishc1369
fleshyc1369
fleshlyc1374
repletea1398
largec1405
corsious1430
corpulentc1440
corsyc1440
fulsome1447
portlyc1487
corporate1509
foggy fata1529
corsive1530
foggish?1537
plump1545
fatty1552
fleshful1552
pubble1566
plum1570
pursy1576
well-fleshed1576
gross?1577
fog1582
forfatted1586
gulchy1598
bouksome1600
fat-fed1607
meatified1607
chuff1609
plumpya1616
bloat1638
blowze-like1647
obese1651
jollya1661
bloated1664
chubbed1674
pluffya1689
puffya1689
pussy1688
sappy1694
crummy1718
chubby1722
fodgel1724
well-padded1737
beefy1743
plumpish1753
pudsy1754
rotund1762
portable1770
lusty1777
roundabout1787
well-cushioned1802
plenitudinous1803
stout1804
embonpointc1806
roly-poly1808
adipose1810
roll-about1815
foggy1817
poddy1823
porky1828
hide-blown1834
tubby1835
stoutish1836
tubbish1836
superfatted1841
pottle-bodied1842
pincushiony1851
opulent1882
well-covered1884
well-upholstered1886
butterball1888
endomorphic1888
tisty-tosty1888
pachyntic1890
barrel-bodied1894
overweight1899
pussy-gutted1906
upholstered1924
1694 London Gaz. No. 2998/4 She [a mare] is spay'd, and has a heavy Eye, somewhat sappy.
a1813 A. Wilson Poems & Lit. Prose (1876) II. 56 A sonsier dame, or sappier wame, Ne'er hotcht alangst the cawsey.
1819 Blackwood's Edinb. Mag. 5 637 Your frame so sappy, and your face so smug.
5.
a. Full of moisture; moist; wet; sodden; rainy. Obsolete exc. dialect. Cf. soppy adj.
ΘΚΠ
the world > matter > liquid > condition of being or making wet > [adjective]
wetc900
moisty1386
nesha1387
dank?a1400
watery?a1439
sappy?a1500
dankish1540
spongy1600
sluiced1607
madid1615
humidious1630
uvid1656
madent1727
muggy1731
sockya1825
suckeny1878
the world > matter > liquid > condition of being or making wet > condition of being or making very wet > [adjective]
thorough wetOE
drunk1382
drunkenc1420
uliginosec1440
dung wetc1450
drookeda1522
wet through, to the skin1526
sogginga1552
washed1557
washy1566
muck-wet1567
wringing wet1570
drenched1589
dropsy1605
ydrenched1610
sobby1611
dropsieda1616
slocken1643
uliginous1650
dabbling1661
sodded1661
sobbing1664
sobbed1693
flashy1702
saturated1728
saturate1785
livereda1796
sappy1806
laving1812
sodden1820
sopped1822
soppy1823
soaked1829
dropsical1845
soddened1845
soaking wet1847
soggya1852
sogged1860
soaking1864
sopping1866
soaken1898
astream1929
the world > the earth > weather and the atmosphere > weather > wet weather > [adjective] > wet (of weather, place, or time)
wetc893
moista1398
waterya1398
moistya1500
waterish1545
washy1566
rotten1567
slabby1653
weety1658
late1673
fresh1790
slottery1790
soft1812
givey1829
juicy1837
sploshy1838
sposhy1842
slip-sloppya1845
splishy-splashyc1850
shabby1853
soppy1872
sappy1885
a1500 R. Henryson tr. Æsop Fables: Preaching of Swallow l. 1719 in Poems (1981) 67 To se the soill..Sappie, and to resaue all seidis abill.
1806 J. Beresford Miseries Human Life I. iii. 50 Playing at cricket on very sloppy ground, so that your hard ball presently becomes, muddy, sappy, and rotten.
1885 H. Caine Shadow of Crime xxiv It's cold and sappy, Mrs. Garth.
b. Of meat: Putrescent, tainted. dialect. (See Eng. Dial. Dict.)
ΘΚΠ
the world > food and drink > food > animals for food > [adjective] > relating to meat > putrid
sappy1574
green1847
1574 J. Baret Aluearie R 229 Sapie, or vnsauerie flesh.
1783 G. W. Lemon Eng. Etymol. Sapy, a moisture contracted on the outward surface of meats, which is the first stage of dissolution.
6. Consisting of or containing sap-wood.
ΘΚΠ
society > occupation and work > materials > raw material > wood > [adjective] > containing sap-wood
sappy1466
1466 Contract 25 June in R. Willis & J. W. Clark Archit. Hist. Univ. Cambr. (1886) III. 93 This tymbir shalbe white oke, not doted, nor storvyn, nor sappy.
1711 Mil. & Sea Dict. (ed. 4) at Trenel These T[r]enels must be well season'd, and not sappy.
1776 G. Semple Treat. Building in Water 84 Be exceeding careful how you make use of any sort of sappy Timber.
7. Foolish. (Cf. sap n.5) Also as n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > foolishness, folly > [adjective]
dizzyc825
unwisec825
redelessOE
unwittyc1000
daftlikec1175
witlessc1175
canga1225
adoted?c1225
cangun?c1225
egedec1225
cangeda1250
foola1250
snepea1250
aerwittec1275
sotlyc1275
unslyc1275
unwitterc1275
unwilya1300
nicec1300
goosishc1374
unskilfulc1374
follyc1380
lewdc1380
mis-feelinga1382
dottlec1390
foltedc1390
peevishc1400
fona1425
fonnishc1425
foliousa1450
foolisha1450
daft?c1450
doitedc1450
dotyc1450
daffish1470
insapientc1470
gucked?a1500
wanwittya1500
furious1526
insipient1528
seelya1529
dawish?1529
foolage1545
momish1546
base-wittedc1547
stultitiousa1549
follifulc1550
senseless1565
mopish1568
fondish1579
unsensiblea1586
fondly1587
dizzardly1594
follial1596
featlessc1598
fopperly1599
gowkeda1605
inept1604
simple1604
anserine1607
foppish1608
silly ass1608
unsage1608
wisdomless1608
fool-beggeda1616
Gotham1621
noddy1645
badot1653
dosser-headed1655
infrunite1657
nonsensicalc1661
slight1663
sappy1670
datelessa1686
noddy-peaked1694
nizy1709
dottled1772
gypit1804
shay-brained1806
folly-stricken1807
fool-like1811
goosy1811
spoony1813
niddle-noddle1821
gumptionless1823
daftish1825
anserous1826
as crazy as a loon1830
spoonish1833
cheese-headed1836
dotty1860
fool-fool1868
noodly1870
dilly1873
gormless1883
daffy1884
monkey-doodle1886
mosy1887
jay1891
pithecanthropic1897
peanut-headed1906
dinlo1907
boob1911
goofy1921
ding-a-ling1935
jerky1944
jerk1947
jerkish1948
pointy-headed1950
doofus1967
twitty1967
twittish1969
nerkish1975
numpty1992
1670 2nd Pt. Peoples Liberties Asserted 6 When unlimited Prerogatives have sprung up, like Mushromes out of the sappy Apprehensions..of inferior Officers.
1797 A. M. Bennett Beggar Girl II. vii. 121 ‘Where’, said she, fretfully, ‘can he have taken his sappy head?’
1894 G. W. Appleton Co-respondent I. 150 I am a fat-headed, sappy, bally ass.
1930 D. H. Lawrence Nettles 23 You know that they've got to think that they're happy... Oh so happy, you sappy.
Compounds
ˈsappyhead n. a foolish person. Cf. sap-head n.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > mental capacity > lack of understanding > stupid, foolish, or inadequate person > foolish person, fool > fool, simpleton > [noun]
boinarda1300
daffc1325
goky1377
nicea1393
unwiseman1400
totc1425
alphinc1440
dawc1500
hoddypeak1500
dawpatea1529
hoddypolla1529
noddy1534
kimec1535
coxcomb1542
sheep1542
sheep's head1542
goose1547
dawcock1556
nodgecock1566
peak-goosea1568
hottie tottie?c1570
Tom Towly1582
wittol1588
goose-cap1589
nodgecomb1592
ninny1593
chicken1600
fopdoodle16..
hoddy-noddy1600
hoddy-doddy1601
peagoose1606
fopster1607
nazold1607
nupson1607
wigeon1607
fondrel1613
simpleton1639
pigwidgeon1640
simpletonian1652
Tony1654
nizy1673
Simple Simon?1673
Tom Farthing1674
totty-head1680
cockcomb1684
cod1699
nikin1699
sap-pate1699
simpkin1699
mackninnya1706
gilly-gaupus?1719
noodle1720
sapskull1735
gobbin?1746
Judy1781
zanya1784
spoony1795
sap-head1798
spoon1799
gomerel1814
sap1815
neddy1818
milestone1819
sunket1823
sunketa1825
gawp1825
gawpy1825
gawpus1826
Tomnoddy1826
Sammy1828
tammie norie1828
Tommy1828
gom1834
noodlehead1835
nowmun1854
gum-sucker1855
flat-head1862
peggy1869
noodledum1883
jay1884
toot1888
peanut head1891
simp1903
sappyhead1922
Arkie1927
putz1928
steamer1932
jerk-off1939
drongo1942
galah1945
Charley1946
nong-nong1959
mouth-breather1979
twonk1981
1922 J. Joyce Ulysses ii. vi. [Hades] 111 Martin could wind a sappyhead like that round his little finger without his seeing it.
Draft additions September 2008
North American. Excessively sentimental; soppy, mawkish.Esp. in early use sometimes difficult to distinguish from sense 7.
ΘΚΠ
the mind > emotion > love > tenderness > [adjective] > full of mawkish sentiment
soppy1918
sloppy1919
sappy1928
1928 I. Gershwin Oh Gee! Oh Joy! in Compl. Lyrics (1993) 115/3 The birds are singing. Because why? Because I am in love!.. Folks complain I'm insane, Because I act so sappy.
1947 E. S. Holding Blank Wall ii. 20 I don't like anything that's sappy and emotional and all, and I don't want to get mixed up in things like that. Not now, or any other time.
1986 B. Dijkstra Idols of Perversity vii. 211 The road to progress was masculine aggression, the road to destruction sappy effeminacy.
2000 Windsor (Ont.) Star (Nexis) 10 July b7 Sure it sounds like a Hallmark greeting card sometimes... But that's how I feel. Life is really sweet. It's really gentle. Call it corny, call it shmaltzy, call it sappy..but it feels great. I like it.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1909; most recently modified version published online June 2022).
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adj.n.1100