verb. sap.

English

Etymology

A shortening of Latin verbum sapienti sat est (“a word is enough to a wise man”). Compare verbum sat.

Phrase

verb. sap.

1. Short for verbum sapienti.
   • 1926 January, Aldous Huxley, “The Monocle”, in The Criterion, volume 4, Faber and Gwyer, Ltd., page 53:

     […] everything’s permitted to the poor drunkard, particularly if he’s only a poor colonial and doesn’t know any better. Verb sap.