Neap

Pronunciation

• enPR: nÄ“p, IPA: /niːp/
• Rhymes: -iːp

Perhaps of Scandinavian origin: compare dialectal Norwegian neip ("forked pole").

Full definition of neap

Noun

1. The tongue or pole of a cart or other vehicle drawn by two animals.

Old English nēp- in nēpflōd ("neap tide").

Adjective

1. Designating a tide which occurs just after the first and third quarters of the moon, when there is least difference between high tide and low tide.
• 1934, Henry Miller, Tropic of Cancer, Little groups of sailors came swinging along and pushied their way noisily inside the gaudy joints. Sex everywhere: it was slopping over, a neap tide that swept the props from under the city.

Verb

1. To trap a ship (or ship and crew) in water too shallow to move, due to the smaller tidal range occurring in a period of neap tides.
• 1770, w, Journal During the First Voyage Round the World, At 8, being high water, hauld her bow close ashore, but Keept her stern afloat, because I was afraid of Neaping her, and yet it was necessary to lay the whole of her as near the ground as possible.

Anagrams

• nape
• pane
• pean