neap tide

neap tide
Tide Tide, n. [AS. t[=i]d time; akin to OS. & OFries. t[=i]d, D. tijd, G. zeit, OHG. z[=i]t, Icel. t[=i]?, Sw. & Dan. tid, and probably to Skr. aditi unlimited, endless, where a- is a negative prefix. [root]58. Cf. {Tidings}, {Tidy}, {Till}, prep., {Time}.] 1. Time; period; season. [Obsoles.] ``This lusty summer's tide.'' --Chaucer. [1913 Webster]

And rest their weary limbs a tide. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

Which, at the appointed tide, Each one did make his bride. --Spenser. [1913 Webster]

At the tide of Christ his birth. --Fuller. [1913 Webster]

2. The alternate rising and falling of the waters of the ocean, and of bays, rivers, etc., connected therewith. The tide ebbs and flows twice in each lunar day, or the space of a little more than twenty-four hours. It is occasioned by the attraction of the sun and moon (the influence of the latter being three times that of the former), acting unequally on the waters in different parts of the earth, thus disturbing their equilibrium. A high tide upon one side of the earth is accompanied by a high tide upon the opposite side. Hence, when the sun and moon are in conjunction or opposition, as at new moon and full moon, their action is such as to produce a greater than the usual tide, called the {spring tide}, as represented in the cut. When the moon is in the first or third quarter, the sun's attraction in part counteracts the effect of the moon's attraction, thus producing under the moon a smaller tide than usual, called the {neap tide}. [1913 Webster]

Note: The flow or rising of the water is called flood tide, and the reflux, ebb tide. [1913 Webster]

3. A stream; current; flood; as, a tide of blood. ``Let in the tide of knaves once more; my cook and I'll provide.'' --Shak. [1913 Webster]

4. Tendency or direction of causes, influences, or events; course; current. [1913 Webster]

There is a tide in the affairs of men, Which, taken at the flood, leads on to fortune. --Shak. [1913 Webster]

5. Violent confluence. [Obs.] --Bacon. [1913 Webster]

6. (Mining) The period of twelve hours. [1913 Webster]

{Atmospheric tides}, tidal movements of the atmosphere similar to those of the ocean, and produced in the same manner by the attractive forces of the sun and moon.

{Inferior tide}. See under {Inferior}, a.

{To work double tides}. See under {Work}, v. t.

{Tide day}, the interval between the occurrences of two consecutive maxima of the resultant wave at the same place. Its length varies as the components of sun and moon waves approach to, or recede from, one another. A retardation from this cause is called the lagging of the tide, while the acceleration of the recurrence of high water is termed the priming of the tide. See {Lag of the tide}, under 2d {Lag}.

{Tide dial}, a dial to exhibit the state of the tides at any time.

{Tide gate}. (a) An opening through which water may flow freely when the tide sets in one direction, but which closes automatically and prevents the water from flowing in the other direction. (b) (Naut.) A place where the tide runs with great velocity, as through a gate.

{Tide gauge}, a gauge for showing the height of the tide; especially, a contrivance for registering the state of the tide continuously at every instant of time. --Brande & C.

{Tide lock}, a lock situated between an inclosed basin, or a canal, and the tide water of a harbor or river, when they are on different levels, so that craft can pass either way at all times of the tide; -- called also {guard lock}.

{Tide mill}. (a) A mill operated by the tidal currents. (b) A mill for clearing lands from tide water.

{Tide rip}, a body of water made rough by the conflict of opposing tides or currents.

{Tide table}, a table giving the time of the rise and fall of the tide at any place.

{Tide water}, water affected by the flow of the tide; hence, broadly, the seaboard.

{Tide wave}, or {Tidal wave}, the swell of water as the tide moves. That of the ocean is called primitive; that of bays or channels derivative. See also {tidal wave} in the vocabulary. --Whewell.

{Tide wheel}, a water wheel so constructed as to be moved by the ebb or flow of the tide. [1913 Webster]


The Collaborative International Dictionary of English. 2000.

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  • neap tide — [ˈni:p taıd] n a very small rise and fall of the level of the sea at the times of the first and third quarters of the moon →↑spring tide …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • neap tide — [ nip ,taıd ] noun count a TIDE that has the least amount of change between the highest and lowest levels of the ocean …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • neap tide — noun a less than average tide occurring at the first and third quarters of the moon • Syn: ↑neap • Ant: ↑springtide • Hypernyms: ↑high tide, ↑high water, ↑highwater * * * noun …   Useful english dictionary

  • neap tide — UK [ˈniːp ˌtaɪd] / US [ˈnɪp ˌtaɪd] noun [countable] Word forms neap tide : singular neap tide plural neap tides a tide that has the least amount of change between the highest and lowest levels of the sea …   English dictionary

  • neap tide — a tide of decreased range occurring semi monthly, between the time of new and full moon. The sun and moon are at right angles to each other so their net gravitational effect on the sea is reduced. The neap tidal range is usually 10 to 30 percent… …   Dictionary of ichthyology

  • neap tide — /ˈnip taɪd/ (say neep tuyd) noun a tide which is neap …  

  • neap tide — The tide which occurs when the difference between high tide and low tide is the smallest; the tide which occurs at moon s quadrature with the sun. Teschemacher v Thompson, 18 Cal 11, 21 …   Ballentine's law dictionary

  • neap tide — ▪ physics       tide of minimal range occurring near the time when the Moon and the Sun are in quadrature. This condition is geometrically defined as the time at which the line from the Earth to the Moon is at right angles to the line from the… …   Universalium

  • neap tide — noun The tide which occurs when the Moon is in its first and third quarter; the effects of the Sun and Moon being partially cancelled out this type of tide is of minimum range. Ant: spring tide …   Wiktionary

  • neap tide —   a low tidal range caused when the angle of a line drawn from the sun to the earth and then to the moon is 90 In this twice monthly situation the gravitational pulls of sun and moon are in opposition thus the high tide is not so high and the… …   Geography glossary

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