Nap

Nap

Noun / Verb · /næp/

Definition

(Noun) a short sleep, especially during the day; the raised fibres or threads on the surface of a fabric such as velvet or flannel; (Verb) to take a short sleep during the day; to be caught napping — to be caught off guard or unprepared.

Origin

The sleep sense of nap coming from Old English hnappian (to doze, slumber), of Germanic origin, related to Old High German hnaffezzen (to slumber). The fabric nap (the raised surface of velvet, flannel, etc.) coming from Middle Dutch or Middle Low German noppe (nap, tuft), related to Middle English noppe. Both being distinct etymological roots sharing the same spelling. The phrase caught napping meaning caught off guard being a 16th-century idiom.