SAP  . (I) Juice, the circulating fluid of

plants (see PLANTS, § Physiology) . The word appears in Teutonic languages, cf . Ger . Saft, and may be connected ultimately with the root seen in Lat. sapere, taste, hence to know, cf. sapientia, wisdom, cf . Gr. ao;bbs, wise . On the other hand it may, like Fr. she, Span. saba, have come direct from Lat. sapa, must, new wine, itself also from the same root . The Gr . Orbs is represented in Lat. by sucus . (2) A military term for a trench dug by abesieging force for the purpose of approach to the point 'of attack when within range, hence " to sap," to undermine, dig away the foundations of a wall, &c . The word is derived through the Old Fr. from the Med . Lat. sapa, sap pa, a spade, entrenching tool, Gr. owes-bin, OK6.7rTEW, t0 dig .