neap

Meaning

Noun

The tongue or pole of a cart or other vehicle drawn by two animals.

Adj

1. (not-comparable) Low; lowest; the ebb or lowest point of a tide.
2. (not-comparable) Designating a tide which occurs just after the first and third quarters of the moon, when there is the least difference between high tide and low tide.

Verb

1. (transitive) To trap (a ship) in water too shallow to move, due to the smaller tidal range occurring in a period of neap tides.
2. (intransitive) To ooze, to sink, to subside, to tail.

Synonyms

neap tide

low tide

spring-tide

Translations

χαμηλή παλοίρια

μειώνομαι

μικραίνω

água-morta

bajamar

marea baja

muerta

cuadratura

المدّ المنخفض

marea muerta

niedrig

marea di quadratura

Pronounced as (IPA)

/niːp/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: neep

Inherited from Old English: nēp

In summary

Perhaps of Scandinavian origin: compare dialectal Norwegian neip (“forked pole”).