sapverb [ T ]
uk/sæp/us/sæp/-pp-to make someone weaker or take away strength or an important quality from someone, especially over a long period of time:
Constant criticism saps you of your confidence.
Taking care of her dying mother had sapped all her energy.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Becoming and making less strong
- abate
- adulterate
- attenuate
- attrition
- blow over
- blunt
- deflate
- dial
- dim
- emasculate
- flagging
- jelly
- keep sb down
- knock/take the stuffing out of sb/sth idiom
- muffle
- neutralize
- pine
- sag
- shake
- wither on the vine idiom
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sapping
adjective uk/ˈsæp.ɪŋ/us/ˈsæp.ɪŋ/
sapping heat/humidity
sapnoun
uk/sæp/us/sæp/sap noun (LIQUID)
[ U ] the liquid that carries food to all parts of a plant:
Maple syrup is obtained from the sap of the sugar maple tree.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Biochemistry
- adipose
- adrenalin
- amino acid
- amylase
- arnica
- chlorophyll
- enzyme
- fatty acid
- flavonoid
- fructose
- histamine
- lanolin
- oestrogen
- pheromone
- phloem
- phototropism
- polysaccharide
- protease
- tannin
- xylem
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sap noun (PERSON)
[ C ] mainly US informal a stupid person who can easily be tricked or persuaded to do something:
He'll lie around and let some other poor sap do all the work.
Thesaurus: synonyms and related words
Stupid and silly people
- a right one idiom
- airhead
- asshole
- berk
- birdbrain
- dolt
- doofus
- dork
- duffer
- dullard
- mouth-breather
- muggins
- muppet
- mutt
- need
- simpleton
- stupid
- thicko
- tosser
- turkey
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Idiom(s)
the sap is rising