tap

1
[ tap ]
See synonyms for: taptappedtappingtaps on Thesaurus.com

verb (used with object),tapped, tap·ping.
  1. to strike with a light but audible blow or blows; hit with repeated, slight blows: He tapped the door twice.

  2. to make, put, etc., by tapping: She tapped a nail into the wall to hang a picture.

  1. to strike (the fingers, a foot, a pencil, etc.) upon or against something, especially with repeated light blows: Stop tapping your feet!

  2. Basketball. to strike (a ball in the air) in the direction of a teammate or of the basket.

  3. Digital Technology.

    • to make a selection or enter information on a touchscreen by tapping (a button, icon, or the like): To return to the previous page, tap the back arrow at the bottom of the screen.

    • to enter (data) by tapping on a keyboard: For a breathless instant her capable fingers tapped codes into the company server.

  4. to recruit, appoint, or select for a particular role or task: After he’d cooked there for 20 years, the restaurant owner finally tapped him for chef.

  5. to add a thickness of leather to the sole or heel of (a boot or shoe), as in repairing.

verb (used without object),tapped, tap·ping.
  1. to strike lightly but audibly, as to attract attention (usually followed by on or against): The prisoners communicated by tapping on their cell walls.The teacher tapped on the blackboard to indicate that the time was up.

  2. to strike light blows: The geologist stopped tapping with her hammer to examine a bit of rock under a magnifying glass.

  1. to type or enter information on a keyboard: He tapped away at his computer without looking up.

  2. to perform a tap dance.

noun
  1. a light, sometimes audible blow: I felt a tap on my shoulder.

  2. the sound made by this.

  1. a piece of metal attached to the toe or heel of a shoe, as for reinforcement or for making the tapping of a dancer more audible.

  2. Basketball. an act or instance of tapping the ball: Hanson got the tap from our center, who, 6′9″ tall, couldn't lose a jump ball.

  3. a thickness of leather added to the sole or heel of a boot or shoe, as in repairing.

Verb Phrases
  1. tap out,

    • (in wrestling, karate, or the like) to acknowledge defeat by tapping on the mat:Finally, trapped in the chokehold, he was forced to tap out for the first time in his career.

    • to concede or withdraw from an undertaking one feels unable to continue; quit: The owners have tapped out of the company after nearly 16 years, although they'll retain a minority interest.

    • to produce by means of a series of taps: She tapped out the drum rhythm on the table.The pilot tapped out a signal in Morse code.

    • to type or enter on a keyboard: He used to tap out his weekly column on an old Olivetti.

    • to remove by tapping: All air bubbles should be tapped out before clamping the end of the tube.

Origin of tap

1
First recorded in 1175–1225; Middle English verb tappen, tap, probably imitative; noun derivative of the verb

Other words from tap

  • tap·pa·ble, adjective
  • un·tap·pa·ble, adjective

Words Nearby tap

Other definitions for tap (2 of 2)

tap2
[ tap ]

noun
  1. a cylindrical stick, long plug, or stopper for closing an opening through which liquid is drawn, as in a cask; spigot.

  2. a faucet or cock.

  1. the liquor drawn through a particular tap.

  2. British. a taphouse or taproom.

  3. a tool for cutting screw threads into the cylindrical surface of a round opening.

  4. Surgery. the withdrawal of fluid: spinal tap.

  5. a hole made in tapping, as one in a pipe to furnish connection for a branch pipe.

  6. Electricity. a connection brought out of a winding at some point between its extremities, for controlling the voltage ratio.

  7. Informal. an act or instance of wiretapping.

  8. Archaic. a particular kind or quality of drink.

verb (used with object),tapped, tap·ping.
  1. to draw liquid from (a vessel or container).

  2. to draw off (liquid) by removing or opening a tap or by piercing a container.

  1. to draw the tap or plug from or pierce (a cask or other container).

  2. to penetrate, open up, reach into, etc., for the purpose of using something or drawing something off; begin to use: to tap one's resources.

  3. to connect into secretly so as to receive the message or signal being transmitted (sometimes used with into): Authorities tapped his phone line, suspecting that he was a spy.Here’s how to tell if your neighbor is tapping into your cable service.

  4. to obtain money or other resources from: Before attempting the project we tapped her for some quick tips on common mistakes to avoid.He finally decided to tap his father for a loan.

  5. to furnish (a cask, container, pipe, etc.) with a tap.

  6. to cut a screw thread into the surface of (an opening).

  7. to open outlets from (power lines, highways, pipes, etc.).

Verb Phrases
  1. tap into, Informal.

    • to draw on or bring into play: You can overcome many obstacles if you just tap into the strength and skills you already possess!

    • to access and make profitable use of: We are well placed to help clients tap into these emerging opportunities.

  2. tap off, to remove (liquid, molten metal, etc.) from a keg, furnace, or the like: to tap off slag from a blast furnace.

  1. tap out,

    • to exhaust or use up the supply of: If we overfish the oceans, we will tap out the resources our ancestors have relied on for thousands of years.

    • to drain or exhaust the resources of (usually used in the passive and often followed by of): When the recession hit, we were tapped out and deeply in debt.Sorry I can’t contribute much here—I’m all tapped out of ideas.

Origin of tap

2
First recorded before 1050; Middle English noun tap(pe), tape, Old English tæppa “tapered plug used as a stopper for a cask”; cognate with Dutch tap, Old High German zapfo, Old Norse tappi; Middle English verb tappen, Old English tæppian; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch tappen, German zapfen, Old Norse tappa

Other words from tap

  • tap·pa·ble, adjective

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2024

How to use tap in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for tap (1 of 3)

tap1

/ (tæp) /


verbtaps, tapping or tapped
  1. to strike (something) lightly and usually repeatedly: to tap the table; to tap on the table

  2. (tr) to produce by striking in this way: to tap a rhythm

  1. (tr) to strike lightly with (something): to tap one's finger on the desk

  2. (intr) to walk with a tapping sound: she tapped across the floor

  3. (tr) to attach metal or leather reinforcing pieces to (the toe or heel of a shoe)

noun
  1. a light blow or knock, or the sound made by it

  2. the metal piece attached to the toe or heel of a shoe used for tap-dancing

  1. short for tap-dancing: See tap-dancing

  2. phonetics the contact made between the tip of the tongue and the alveolar ridge as the tongue is flicked upwards in the execution of a flap or vibrates rapidly in the execution of a trill or roll

Origin of tap

1
C13 tappen, probably from Old French taper, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Low German tappen to pluck, Swedish dialect täpa to tap

Derived forms of tap

  • tappable, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for tap (2 of 3)

tap2

/ (tæp) /


noun
  1. a valve by which a fluid flow from a pipe can be controlled by opening and closing an orifice: US and Canadian name: faucet

  2. a stopper to plug a cask or barrel and enable the contents to be drawn out in a controlled flow

  1. a particular quality of alcoholic drink, esp when contained in casks: an excellent tap

  2. British short for taproom

  3. the surgical withdrawal of fluid from a bodily cavity: a spinal tap

  4. Also called: screw tap a tool for cutting female screw threads, consisting of a threaded steel cylinder with longitudinal grooves forming cutting edges: Compare die 2 (def. 2)

  5. electronics, mainly US and Canadian a connection made at some point between the end terminals of an inductor, resistor, or some other component: Usual Brit name: tapping

  6. stock exchange

    • an issue of a government security released slowly onto the market when its market price reaches a predetermined level

    • (as modifier): tap stock; tap issue

  7. a concealed listening or recording device connected to a telephone or telegraph wire for the purpose of obtaining information secretly

  8. on tap

    • informal ready for immediate use

    • (of drinks) on draught

verbtaps, tapping or tapped (tr)
  1. to furnish with a tap

  2. to draw off with or as if with a tap

  1. to cut into (a tree) and draw off sap from it

  2. British informal to ask or beg (someone) for money: he tapped me for a fiver

    • to connect a tap to (a telephone or telegraph wire)

    • to listen in secret to (a telephone message, etc) by means of a tap

  3. to make a connection to (a pipe, drain, etc)

  4. to cut a female screw thread in (an object or material) by use of a tap

  5. to withdraw (fluid) from (a bodily cavity)

  6. informal (of a sports team or an employer) to make an illicit attempt to recruit (a player or employee bound by an existing contract)

Origin of tap

2
Old English tæppa; related to Old Norse tappi tap, Old High German zapfo

Derived forms of tap

  • tappable, adjective

British Dictionary definitions for tap (3 of 3)

tap3

/ (tæp) /


noun, verb
  1. a Scot word for top 1

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Idioms and Phrases with tap

tap

see on tap.

The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.