taps

American  

[taps] / tæps /

noun

(used with a singular or plural verb)

1. a signal by bugle or drum, sounded at night as an order to extinguish all lights, and sometimes performed as a postlude to a military funeral.

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taps British  

/ tæps /

noun

1. 1. (in army camps, etc) a signal given on a bugle, drum, etc, indicating that lights are to be put out

   2. any similar signal, as at a military funeral

2. (in the Guide movement) a closing song sung at an evening camp fire or at the end of a meeting

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Etymology

Origin of taps

1815–25, probably tap(too) , variant of tattoo ¹ + -s ³

Example Sentences

Its head of strategic asset planning, Dr Geoff Darch, said its teams were "working 24/7 to keep taps flowing".

From BBC • Jul. 10, 2026

With taps dry, residents now depend on tanker trucks, wells and a handful of distribution points, they told AFP.

From Barron's • Jun. 29, 2026

Last week, Microsoft announced a collaboration with Mayo Clinic to build a healthcare-focused AI model that taps Mayo’s clinical health data.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 11, 2026

Recent drawdowns include smaller taps in the 2011 due to the Libyan crisis and in 2005 after Hurricane Katrina.

From MarketWatch • May 28, 2026

Julia taps something into her phone and grins at it.

From "A Good Kind of Trouble" by Lisa Moore Ramée