reap

Reap is a verb meaning to cut and gather a mature crop from fields. In agriculture, to reap a harvest is to collect grain, fruit, or other crops by cutting the stalks and gathering the yield. The noun reaper refers to a person or machine that performs harvesting.

Originating in Old English from a word such as rēap, the term is of Germanic origin and has cognates across the Germanic language family. The sense of obtaining something as a result of effort developed over time, giving rise to idioms such as "reap rewards."

Historically, reaping was done by hand with sickles and scythes. The development of the mechanical reaper in the 19th century, notably the McCormick reaper, revolutionized harvest by increasing speed and reducing labor; it aided agricultural modernization and the expansion of large-scale farming.

Metaphorically, reap describes obtaining benefits or consequences from actions. Common expressions include "reap what you sow," originating from biblical text, and "reap the rewards" or "reap the benefits." The phrase "reaping" can carry positive or negative connotations depending on context.

Reaping is a recurring symbol in culture and literature, associated with harvest festivals, seasonal change, and the cycle of life. In economics and policy, the term is used to describe outcomes resulting from prior investments or actions.