on tap

Idioms

Available for immediate use, ready, as in We have two more trumpeters on tap for the parade. This metaphoric expression alludes to a beverage such as beer that is ready to be drawn from a cask. [Mid-1800s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

Reverse mortgages or HECMs are loans offered to homeowners like yourself to tap the equity in your home.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 29, 2026

With time and space on the ball, Porro played a cross to the back post which was knocked into a more central position for Mikel Oyarzabal to tap in.

From BBC • Jun. 26, 2026

One stock that serves the utility-scale industry has found a particularly promising way to tap into the data-center boom.

From Barron's • Jun. 26, 2026

Researchers also hope to tap into whatever sixth sense animals use to flee tsunamis, earthquakes and eruptions, and develop early-warning systems for vulnerable human settlements.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 19, 2026

Bouain continued to tap his nose as he considered my plan.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023