sapped Definition

sap¹
noun

1. bot.
A vital liquid containing sugars and other nutrients that circulates in plants.
2. Any liquid or fluid.
3. Energy or vitality.

Thesaurus: lifeblood, vital force, essence, blood, juice.
4. slang
A weak or easily fooled person.
Thesaurus: fool, sucker, simpleton, dolt, gull, dupe.

verb sapped, sapping

1. To drain or extract sap from something.
2. To weaken or exhaust; to drain energy from something.

Thesaurus: weaken, debilitate, enervate, exhaust, devitalize, drain, deplete, diminish, reduce, undermine, subvert; Antonym: strengthen, restore, regenerate, fortify.

Derivative: sappy

See separate entry.

Etymology: Anglo-Saxon sæp.

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sap²
noun

1. A hidden trench by which an attack is made on an enemy position.

verb sapped, sapping

intr
1. To attack by means of a sap.
2. To undermine or weaken.

Etymology: 16c: from French sape, from Italian zappa spadework.