neap Hear it!

neap1 definition

neap (nēp)

adjective

designating a type of tide that occurs after the first and third quarters of the lunar month: at these times the high tides are lower and the low tides are higher than the corresponding tides during spring tide because of the gravitational effects of the right-angled alignment of the moon, earth, and sun

Etymology: ME neep < OE nep- in nepflod, neap tide

noun

neap tide
neap2 definition

neap (nēp)

noun

Dialectal the tongue of a wagon drawn by two animals

Etymology: prob. < ON, as in Norw dial. neip, forked pole

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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