The term 'NEAP' is a four-letter word that is commonly used in tide tables. It refers to the lowest level of the tide, which occurs twice a month when the gravitational pull of the sun and moon are at right angles to each other. This is in contrast to the highest level of the tide, known as the spring tide, which occurs when the gravitational pull of the sun and moon are in line with each other. NEAP tides are usually weaker than spring tides, and they occur during the first and third quarters of the moon's cycle.