Standard Lemma guide

neap

adj · noun · verb · 8 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

Each Play button uses your device's default local English voice, or a natural local fallback. The selected voice name appears after playback. This is synthesized speech, not a source recording.

  • nēp
  • /niːp/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.
  • rhymes with -iːp

1

adj

Meaning 1

Low; lowest; the ebb or lowest point of a tide.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

adj

Meaning 2

Designating a tide which occurs just after the first and third quarters of the moon, when there is the least difference between high tide and low tide.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: not-comparable

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

3

noun

Meaning 3

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

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

4

noun

Meaning 4

A neap tide.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

5

noun

Meaning 5

Alternative form of neep.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of, alternative

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

6

verb

Meaning 6

To trap (a ship) in water too shallow to move, due to the smaller tidal range occurring in a period of neap tides.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

7

verb

Meaning 7

To ooze, to sink, to subside, to tail.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: intransitive

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

8

noun

Meaning 8

a less than average tide occurring at the first and third quarters of the moon

Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: neap tide

Antonyms: none provided

Broader terms: high tide, high water, highwater

History

Etymology

From Middle English neep, from Old English nēp (“scant, lacking”), possibly from Proto-Germanic *nōpiz (“narrow”). Found especially in Old English nēpflōd (“neap tide”, literally “low tide”). Compare Norwegian dialectal nøpen (“scarce, scant, barely enough”).

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

Across languages

Translations

15 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: най-нисък прилив (naj-nisǎk priliv) — designating type of tide
  • Finnish: vajaa- — designating type of tide
  • German: Nipptide — designating type of tide
  • German: Nippflut — designating type of tide
  • Māori: whēru — designating type of tide
  • Māori: moī — designating type of tide
  • Māori: taiā — designating type of tide
  • Māori: kōwā — designating type of tide
  • Māori: kōwāwā — designating type of tide
  • Māori: kōwheuwheu — designating type of tide
  • Māori: kōwhiowhio — designating type of tide
  • Māori: torepuku — designating type of tide
  • Māori: hāro — designating type of tide
  • Spanish: muerta (marea muerta) — designating type of tide
  • Swedish: nipflod — designating type of tide