SAPS

From the verb sap: (⇒ conjugate)

saps is: ⓘ

v 3rd person singular

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

SAPS abbreviation

1. South African Police Service

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026

sap¹ /sæp/   n. 

1. Botany [uncountable] a watery juice that passes through the tissues of a plant.
2. [countable] someone who is easily tricked or fooled;
   dupe.

sap² /sæp/   v. [~ + object] , sapped, sap•ping. 

1. to weaken or destroy in a gradual way;
   drain:
   Over time the disease sapped his strength.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026

sap¹  (sap), n., v., sapped, sap•ping. 
n. 

1. Botany the juice or vital circulating fluid of a plant, esp. of a woody plant.
2. Anatomy any vital body fluid.
3. energy;
   vitality.
4. Botany sapwood.
5. Slang Terms a fool;
   dupe.
6. Metallurgy soft metal at the core of a bar of blister steel.

v.t. 

7. to drain the sap from.

• bef. 900; Middle English; Old English sæp; cognate with Dutch sap; akin to German Saft juice, Old Norse safi; in def. 5 a shortening of saphead

sap²  (sap), n., v., sapped, sap•ping. 
n. 

1. [Fort.] a deep, narrow trench constructed so as to form an approach to a besieged place or an enemy's position.

v.t. 

2. [Fort.]
   • to approach (a besieged place or an enemy position) by means of deep, narrow trenches protected by gabions or parapets.
   • to dig such trenches in (ground).
3. to undermine;
   weaken or destroy insidiously.

v.i. 

4. [Fort.] to dig a sap.

• ?)
• Italian zappare, a military term, based on zappa hoe (compare dialect, dialectal Italian zappo he-goat
• French sape (noun, nominal), derivative of saper to dig a trench
• 1585–95

Synonyms

• 3. impair, enfeeble, deplete, exhaust, enervate.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

sap / sæp/ noun

1. a solution of mineral salts, sugars, etc, that circulates in a plant
2. any vital body fluid
3. energy; vigour
4. a gullible or foolish person
5. another name for sapwood

verb (saps, sapping, sapped)(transitive)

1. to drain of sap

Etymology: Old English sæp; related to Old High German sapf, German Saft juice, Middle Low German sapp, Sanskrit sabar milk juice

sap / sæp/ noun

1. a deep and narrow trench used to approach or undermine an enemy position, esp in siege warfare

verb (saps, sapping, sapped)

1. to undermine (a fortification, etc) by digging saps
2. (transitive) to weaken

Etymology: 16th Century zappe, from Italian zappa spade, of uncertain origin; perhaps from Old Italian (dialect) zappo a goat