To reap means to cut and gather a crop that has grown to maturity, like harvesting wheat with a scythe or picking ripe apples from an orchard. Farmers reap their fields when the grain is ready, collecting the results of months of planting, watering, and tending.

The word also means to receive the results or rewards of your earlier efforts. When a student reaps the benefits of studying hard all semester, she earns excellent grades and truly understands the material. An athlete who trains diligently reaps the rewards when he performs well in competition. Someone who practices piano faithfully reaps the satisfaction of playing beautiful music.

There's an old saying: “You reap what you sow.” Since sowing means planting seeds, this means you eventually receive the consequences of your earlier actions, whether good or bad. Plant tomato seeds in spring, and you'll reap tomatoes in summer. Work carelessly on a project, and you'll reap disappointing results. The saying reminds us that our choices today shape what we'll experience tomorrow.

The tool traditionally used for reaping grain is called a scythe, a long, curved blade on a wooden handle. Before modern machinery, reaping was exhausting work done by hand under the hot sun.