Etymology From Middle English nappen, from Old English hnappian (“to doze, slumber, sleep”), from Proto-West Germanic *hnappōn (“to nap”). Cognate with Old High German hnaffezan, hnaffezzan (whence Middle High German nafzen (“to slumber”) whence German dialectal napfezen, nafzen (“to nod, slumber, nap”)).
1
To have a nap; to sleep for a short period of time, especially during the day.
The regulators were caught napping by the financial collapse.
I took thee napping, unprepared.1662 (indicated as 1663), [Samuel Butler], “[The First Part of Hudibras]”, in Hudibras. The First and Second Parts. […], London: […] John Martyn and Henry Herringman, […], published 1678; republished in A[lfred] R[ayney] Waller, editor, Hudibras: Written in the Time of the Late Wars, Cambridge, Cambridgeshire: University Press, 1905, →OCLC:
Etymology From late Middle English noppe, nappe, from Middle Dutch and Middle Low German noppe, noppen (“to trim the nap”), ultimately from knappen (“to eat, crack”), of imitative origin. Related to the first element of knapsack.
1
A soft or fuzzy surface, generally on fabric or leather.
I tell thee, Jack Cade the clothier means to dress the commonwealth, and turn it, and set a new nap upon it.1591 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Second Part of Henry the Sixt, […]”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies. […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, (please specify the act number in uppercase Roman numerals, and the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals):
On his long, gaunt body, he carried no spare flesh, no superfluous beard, his chin having a soft, economical nap to it, like the worn nap of his broad-brimmed hat.1851 November 14, Herman Melville, “16”, in Moby-Dick; or, The Whale, 1st American edition, New York, N.Y.: Harper & Brothers; London: Richard Bentley, →OCLC:
3 more examples
There were low bookshelves, there was a thick pinkish Chinese rug in which a gopher could have spent a week without showing his nose above the nap.1939, Raymond Chandler, The Big Sleep, Penguin, published 2011, page 37:
THEY CALL IT the "nap of the Earth," that area from the ground to the level of surrounding trees and hills, the thin rug of foliage and rock folds at the Earth's skin line that has become all-important to the United States Army.1961, Skyline, page 9:
If incorporated in automatic guidance, this practical pursuit adjustment will enhance pilot acceptance of automatic guidance in following nap-of-the-earth profiles with precision.1987, Some Data Processing Requirements for Precision Nap-Of-the-Earth (NOE) Guidance and Control of Rotorcraft
2
The common direction, on some kinds of fabric, of the hairs making up the pile.
If the fabric has a nap, make sure all pieces are cut with the nap going the same direction.
Instead of grinding the pistons straight around the axis, they are ground diagonally with a special-built machine. As a result, the “nap” of the metal is turned in such a way that, when it meets the “nap” of the cylinder wall, both surfaces quickly develop a high finish which removes the danger of scoring a piston.1969, Classic Car, volumes 17-19, page 32:
Etymology From late Middle English noppe, nappe, from Middle Dutch and Middle Low German noppe, noppen (“to trim the nap”), ultimately from knappen (“to eat, crack”), of imitative origin. Related to the first element of knapsack.
1
To form or raise a soft or fuzzy surface on (fabric or leather).
nap
noun
Etymology From the name of the French emperor Napoleon I of France.
1
UK A type of bet in British horse racing, based on the experts' best tips.
4. Races run on English, Welsh or Scottish racecourses. This criterion was included so that media tipsters ^([sic]) nap selections in general could be analysed; the source of naps, The Racing Rag 'tipster table', summarises the nap selections of newspaper tipsters, who restrict their selection to horses running at racecourses in these countries.2005, Leighton Vaughan-Williams, The Economics of Gambling, page 71:
2
Card games, Games A card game in which players take tricks; properly Napoleon.
3
A bid to take five tricks in the card game Napoleon.
Etymology From French napper, from nappe (“nape”).
1
Cooking, Food, Lifestyle To cover (something) with a sauce. (usually in the passive)
Vanilla ice cream topped with a poached or canned pear half, napped with chocolate sauce, and garnished with toasted sliced almonds.2006, Wayne Gisslen, Mary Ellen Griffin, Professional Cooking for Canadian Chefs:
nap
noun
Etymology From Middle English nap (“a bowl”), from Old English hnæpp (“a cup, bowl”), from Proto-West Germanic *hnapp, from Proto-Germanic *hnappaz (“a cup, bowl”). Cognate with Dutch nap (“drinking cup”), Low German Napp (“bowl, cup”), German Napf (“bowl”), Icelandic hnappur (“button, key”). Doublet of hanap. See also nappy.