sap

Meanings

1. 1
   noun

   Vitality.

   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.

2. 2
   noun

   A naive person; a simpleton.

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

3. 3
   verb

   To exhaust the vitality of.

   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.

4. 4
   verb

   To make unstable or infirm; to unsettle; to weaken.

   Ring out the grief that saps the mind[…]

5. 5
   verb

   To gradually drain (someone's energy or vitality).

   to sap one’s conscience

6. 6
   verb

   To 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.

7. 7
   noun

   A 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.

8. 8
   verb

   To strike with a sap (with a blackjack).

   [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.

Etymology

From Middle English sap, from Old English sæp (“juice, sap”), from Proto-West Germanic *sap (“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”), Old Armenian համ (ham, “taste”), Avestan 𐬬𐬌-𐬱𐬁𐬞𐬀 (vi-šāpa, “having poisonous juices”), Sanskrit सबर् (sabar, “juice, nectar”)). More at sage. sap (“naive person”) is a clipping of sapskull (literally “person with sap in their skull”).