verb

nap

verb

To sleep briefly, especially during the day.

"She likes to nap for twenty minutes after lunch."

"The baby napped through most of the flight."

noun

A short period of sleep, especially during the day.

"I need a quick nap before the meeting."

"He took a nap on the sofa while the game was on."

The short raised fibres on the surface of fabric or leather.

"Brush the velvet against the nap and it changes colour."

"The nap on the new carpet still feels stiff."

How to Use Nap

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishA short sleep, usually during the day, or the fuzzy surface texture of a fabric.

Common mistake

The fabric sense (the direction of the fibres) is unrelated to the sleep sense — they just happen to share a spelling.

Common pairings

take a nap quick nap nap on the sofa against the nap

Word Forms

napped past tense, napped past tense, napped past tense, napped past tense, naps plural, naps plural, naps plural, naps plural, naps singular, naps singular, naps singular, naps singular

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Fill the Gap

Can you complete this real example?

She likes to _____ for twenty minutes after lunch.

Etymology

From Old English hnappian, "to doze", going back to a Germanic root shared with other words for nodding off to sleep.

Rhymes for nap

snap kidnap

See all rhymes for nap →