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origin of the word "neap" re tides??Jim,
In terms of the Modern World Dictionary (1906) as quoted by Chris, the second edition of the OED(Oxford English Dictionary), Vol. X gives the Scandinavian/Norway/Iceland origin of "neap" for its English meaning re " the pole or tongue of a cart" which current usage they attribute mainly to US usage.
However, in terms of "neap" refering to tides and the sea, it says this:
[OE. nep in nepflod, of obscure etym. and meaning, otherwise found only in Exod. in the translated phrase "without power of advancing. .. they also say that the Danish "niptid" is probably from English]
Some Examples:
neap tide: a tide occurring shortly after the first and third quarters of the moon, in which the high-water level stands at its lowest point.
neap rise: the height between high-water mark at neap tide and mean low-water mark at spring tide.
neap season: the time of neap tide.
dead neap: said of the lowest or stillest state of the tied; i.e., dead low water
a ship is neaped: when she wants water and cannot get out of the harbour, off from the ground, or out of dock.
So there you have it!
Ray Dempsey
Clementsport.
PS: Experts consider the OED as the largest and most authoritative dictionary of the English language. It provides an historical record of the language since 1150 with all the relevant facts concerning their form, sens-history and etymology.
----- Original Message -----
From: Jim Wolford
To: NatureNS
Sent: Thursday, August 03, 2006 11:07 AM
Subject: [NatureNS] origin of the word "neap" re tides??
Dusan's note reminds me to ask something: does anyone know where the word "neap" comes from? I have asked this many times, including to expert Roy Bishop in Avonport, and nobody seems to know. I'll bet some know-it-all on this list can come up with an/the answer?!
My 3-volume Webster's Third Int'l Dictionary says the following:
(a) piece of wood used to hold up the front or the tongue of a wagon;
(b) "neaped" means left aground by the high water of a spring tide -- ???
Thanks in advance for all attempts, from Jim in Wolfivlle
----------
From: Dusan Soudek <soudekd@ns.sympatico.ca>
Reply-To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Date: Wed, 02 Aug 2006 21:40:12 -0300
To: naturens@chebucto.ns.ca
Subject: Re: [NatureNS] Re: Tides Halifax Harbour
Hi all,
yes, there can be a huge difference between predicted and actual tides, particularly in tidal rivers and in shallow seas. For example, the Shubie is tidal for some 45-49 km from its mouth. The timing of the so-called tidal bore and the dead high tide depends not only on the size of the tide (neap vs. spring), but on winds, atmospheric pressure, and the amount of flow in the river.
This is also true for the St. John River in N.B., where the tides around Fredericton and in Grand Lake (and elsewhere) are discernible only during very low-flow times of the year.
Dusan Soudek
Paul MacDonald wrote:
Hi Blake and All
High tides or low ones for that matter have
variability based on winds, air pressure and so on so
if you were to measure exactly when the highest water
was or the lowest - these time measurements would have
some noise.
Often when out in tidal water you will note the tidal
start to fall and then reverse itself and come up some
more.
The thing is not to get to tied up on exact times.
Have a nice summer
Paul
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<HTML><HEAD><TITLE>origin of the word "neap" re tides??</TITLE>
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<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Jim,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>In terms of the Modern World Dictionary (1906) as
quoted by Chris, the second edition of the OED(Oxford English Dictionary), Vol.
X gives the Scandinavian/Norway/Iceland origin of "neap" for its English
meaning re " the pole or tongue of a cart" which current
usage they attribute mainly to US usage.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>However, in terms of "neap" refering to tides and
the sea, it says this:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>[OE. nep in nepflod, of obscure etym. and
meaning, otherwise found only in Exod. in the translated phrase "without
power of advancing. .. they also say that the Danish "niptid" is probably
from English]</STRONG></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>Some Examples:</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>neap tide:</STRONG> a tide occurring
shortly after the first and third quarters of the moon, in which the high-water
level stands at its lowest point.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>neap rise:</STRONG> the height
between high-water mark at neap tide and mean low-water mark at spring
tide.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>neap season:</STRONG> the time of neap
tide. </FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>dead neap</STRONG>: said of the lowest or
stillest state of the tied; i.e., dead low water</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2><STRONG>a ship is neaped:</STRONG> when she
wants water and cannot get out of the harbour, off from the ground, or out of
dock.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2>So there you have it!</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Arial size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT fa