Reap

/riːp/

Meaning & Definition

verb

to cut and gather (a crop or harvest)

Farmers typically reap their wheat in late summer.

to obtain a return or benefit from an effort or action

After years of hard work, she finally began to reap the rewards of her labor.

to receive (a reward) as a consequence of one's actions

You will reap what you sow; if you help others, you will find help in return.

to collect or gather (something valuable)

He hopes to reap a significant profit from his investment in the company.

Middle English repen, from Old English rēopan; related to Dutch rijen and German reifen.

reap what you sow

To get back what you have done, typically related to actions or consequences.

harvest

The act of gathering mature crops from the fields.

sow

To plant seeds in the ground for growth.

To take advantage of a situation.

He really knows how to reap the benefits of networking.

To gain something significant or profitable.

After the merger, they reaped huge profits.