# nap

/ˈnæp/ (US) · /nˈæp/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/nap
Updated: 2026-08-15

## Senses

### 1. short sleep

noun · CEFR A2

a short sleep, usually taken during the day instead of at night.

For teachers: a brief period of sleep, typically taken during daylight hours as a supplement to nocturnal rest.

- The toddler usually takes a two-hour nap after lunch.
- After a grueling morning session, the executive found that a twenty-minute power nap significantly improved her cognitive performance for the afternoon.

### 2. fabric surface

noun · CEFR C1 · Technical

the soft, fuzzy surface on some types of cloth or leather.

For teachers: the raised, fuzzy surface or pile of certain fabrics, such as velvet or felt, created by fibers that lie in a specific direction.

- You should brush the velvet in the direction of the nap to keep it smooth.
- The tailor carefully aligned the pattern pieces to ensure the nap of the wool ran downward on all sections of the coat.

### 3. to sleep briefly

verb · CEFR A2

to sleep for a short time during the day.

For teachers: to engage in a brief period of sleep, especially during the day; often used intransitively.

- My grandfather likes to nap in his armchair while the news is on.
- Research suggests that individuals who nap for short durations midday often exhibit better cardiovascular health than those who do not.

### 4. to cover with sauce

verb · CEFR C2 · Technical

to cover a piece of food with a thin layer of sauce.

For teachers: to lightly coat or cover a food item with a sauce. Often used in the passive voice.

- The chef decided to nap the fish with a light lemon butter sauce.
- For the final presentation, the poached pears were napped with a rich chocolate ganache that clung perfectly to the fruit.

Usage: Usually appears as 'napped with' in culinary contexts.

### 5. off one's guard

verb · CEFR B2 · Informal

to be caught not paying attention when you should be.

For teachers: to be caught unprepared or off one's guard; almost exclusively used in the idiom 'caught napping'.

- The sudden question from the boss caught the intern napping.
- The incumbent candidate was caught napping by his opponent's aggressive social media strategy during the final week of the campaign.

Usage: Typically used in the passive construction 'to be caught napping'.

## Examples

- I usually take a quick nap after lunch.
- The toddler was cranky because he missed his afternoon nap and refused to play with his toys.
- While some cultures view a midday nap as a sign of laziness, others integrate the practice into their daily schedules to improve cognitive performance and cardiovascular health.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.