sap
1 of 4noun (1)
ˈsap 
1
a
: the fluid part of a plant
specifically : a watery solution that circulates through a plant's vascular system
b(1)
: a body fluid (such as blood) essential to life, health, or vigor
(2)
: bodily health and vigor
2
: a foolish gullible person
3
[probably short for sapling] : blackjack, bludgeon
sapless
ˈsa-pləs
adjective saplessness
ˈsa-pləs-nəs
noun sap
2 of 4verb (1)
sapped; sapping
transitive verb
1
: to drain or deprive of sap
2
: to knock out with a sap
sap
3 of 4verb (2)
sapped; sapping
intransitive verb
: to proceed by digging a sap
transitive verb
1
: to subvert by digging or eroding the substratum or foundation : undermine
2
a
: to gradually diminish the supply or intensity of
sapped her strength
b
: to weaken or exhaust the energy or vitality of
the illness sapped him of his stamina
3
: to operate against or pierce by a sap
sap
4 of 4noun (2)
: the extension of a trench to a point beneath an enemy's fortifications
Synonyms
Noun (1)
- beans
- bounce
- brio
- dash
- drive
- dynamism
- energy
- esprit
- gas
- get-up-and-go
- ginger
- go
- gusto
- hardihood
- juice
- life
- moxie
- oomph
- pep
- punch
- snap
- starch
- verve
- vigor
- vim
- vinegar
- vitality
- zing
- zip
Verb (1)
- debilitate
- devitalize
- enervate
- enfeeble
- etiolate
- prostrate
- soften
- tire
- waste
- weaken
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Word History
Etymology
Noun (1)
Middle English, from Old English sæp; akin to Old High German saf sap
Verb (2)
Middle French sapper, from Old Italian zappare, from zappa hoe
Noun (2)
French sape, from saper
First Known Use
Noun (1)
before the 12th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a
Verb (1)
1725, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb (2)
1598, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense
Noun (2)
1642, in the meaning defined above
Phrases Containing sap
Kids Definition
sap 1 of 2
noun
ˈsap
: a watery juice that circulates through a plant and carries food and nutrients
sap
2 of 2verb
sapped; sapping
: to weaken or use up little by little
… the heavy load they dragged sapped their strength severely.
Jack London, The Call of the Wild
Jack London, The Call of the Wild Medical Definition
sap
see cell sap, nuclear sap
sapping 1 of 2
adjective
as in draining
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- draining
- weakening
- debilitating
- deadening
- enervating
- exhausting
- enfeebling
- pernicious
- injurious
- deleterious
- numbing
- wearying
- unhealthful
- unwholesome
- unhealthy
- insalubrious
- noxious
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- reviving
- vital
- stimulating
- rejuvenating
- bracing
- refreshing
- vitalizing
- restorative
- tonic
- stimulative
- cordial
- invigorating
- strengthening
- conditioning
- life-giving
sapping
2 of 2verb
as in weakening
to diminish the physical strength of weeks of hard work had sapped her and left her exhausted Synonyms & Similar Words
- weakening
- softening
- wasting
- exhausting
- tiring
- debilitating
- damaging
- enervating
- enfeebling
- hurting
- injuring
- depleting
- paralyzing
- devitalizing
- impairing
- crippling
- hamstringing
- depressing
- disabling
- harming
- prostrating
- incapacitating
- impoverishing
- etiolating
- unmanning
- invaliding
- wearing out
- laying up
- washing out
- wearing down
- grinding (down)
- breaking down
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
- strengthening
- fortifying
- energizing
- recruiting
- invigorating
- rejuvenating
- hardening
- vitalizing
- beefing (up)
- toughening
- seasoning