to strike with a light but audible blow or blows; hit with repeated, slight blows: He tapped the door twice.
to make, put, etc., by tapping: to tap a nail into a wall.
to strike (the fingers, a foot, a pencil, etc.) upon or against something, especially with repeated light blows: Stop tapping your feet!
Basketball. to strike (a ball in the air) in the direction of a teammate or of the basket.
to enter information or produce copy by tapping on a keyboard: to tap data into a computer; to tap out a magazine article.
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.
to strike lightly but audibly, as to attract attention.
to strike light blows.
to tap-dance.
noun
a light but audible blow: a tap on the shoulder.
the sound made by this.
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.
Basketball. an act or instance of tapping the ball: Hanson got the tap from our center, who, 6prime;9″ tall, couldn't lose a jump ball.
a thickness of leather added to the sole or heel of a boot or shoe, as in repairing.
Origin of tap
1
1175–1225; (v.) Middle English tappen, variant of early Middle English teppen, probably imitative; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the v.
OTHER WORDS FROM tap
tap·pa·ble,adjectiveun·tap·pa·ble,adjective
Words nearby tap
taonga, Taormina, Taos, Tao Te Ching, t'ao t'ieh, tap, tapa, tapadera, tapadero, Tapajós, tapas
Definition for tap (2 of 2)
tap2
[ tap ]
/ tæp /
noun
a cylindrical stick, long plug, or stopper for closing an opening through which liquid is drawn, as in a cask; spigot.
a faucet or cock.
the liquor drawn through a particular tap.
British. a taphouse or taproom.
a tool for cutting screw threads into the cylindrical surface of a round opening.
Surgery. the withdrawal of fluid: spinal tap.
a hole made in tapping, as one in a pipe to furnish connection for a branch pipe.
Electricity. a connection brought out of a winding at some point between its extremities, for controlling the voltage ratio.
Informal. an act or instance of wiretapping.
Archaic. a particular kind or quality of drink.
verb (used with object),tapped,tap·ping.
to draw liquid from (a vessel or container).
to draw off (liquid) by removing or opening a tap or by piercing a container.
to draw the tap or plug from or pierce (a cask or other container).
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.
to connect into secretly so as to receive the message or signal being transmitted: to tap a telephone wire or telephone.
to furnish (a cask, container, pipe, etc.) with a tap.
to cut a screw thread into the surface of (an opening).
to open outlets from (power lines, highways, pipes, etc.).
Verb Phrases
tap into,Informal. to gain access to; become friendly with: The candidate tapped into some wealthy supporters.
tap off,to remove (liquid, molten metal, etc.) from a keg, furnace, or the like: to tap off slag from a blast furnace.
Origin of tap
2
before 1050; (noun) Middle English tappe,Old English tæppa; cognate with Dutch tap,Old High German zapfo,Old Norse tappi; (v.) Middle English tappen,Old English tæppian; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch tappen,German zapfen,Old Norse tappa
The growth stems, in large part, from China’s lack of access to clean tap water.
A blockbuster IPO briefly made a bottled water entrepreneur China’s richest man|Grady McGregor|September 8, 2020|Fortune
Smith makes a saline solution with sparkling water instead of tap water—he prefers San Pellegrino for its crisp minerality.
Why you should be adding salt to your cocktails|By Céline Bossart/Saveur|September 4, 2020|Popular Science
Heavy rain and strong winds are already on tap for Cuba, Jamaica, and the Cayman Islands, according to meteorologists.
Tropical Storm Laura, not yet a hurricane, threatens coastal Texas and Louisiana|Andrew Nusca|August 24, 2020|Fortune
After having trouble cleaning the jar, he filled it with tap water and left it to soak.
Scientists stumbled across the first known manganese-fueled bacteria|Carolyn Beans|July 21, 2020|Science News
Leadbetter and Yu first identified about 70 bacterial species in the jar, which likely came from the tap water.
Scientists stumbled across the first known manganese-fueled bacteria|Carolyn Beans|July 21, 2020|Science News
Obama is widely believed to tap an ex-physicist who cuts military waste like a laser to become the next secretary of defense.
Ashton Carter, the Wonk Who Would Lead the Pentagon|Shane Harris, Tim Mak|December 2, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Cervecerías Barú resolved problems with their draft system that prohibited them from selling on tap for almost seven years.
House of the Witch: The Renegade Craft Brewers of Panama|Jeff Campagna|November 30, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The NSA had already built the infrastructure to tap into communications networks.
How the NSA Became a Killing Machine|Shane Harris|November 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The Queen today sent her first tweet - and yes, she really did tap it out and press the tweet button herself.
One Has Tweeted!|Tom Sykes|October 24, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Is filtered water that much cleaner and safer than tap water?
Are Water Filters B.S.?|Michael Schulson|August 19, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The levelling-tube is lowered a little, and the tap cautiously opened until all but the last drop of the liquid has run in.
A Textbook of Assaying: For the Use of Those Connected with Mines.|Cornelius Beringer and John Jacob Beringer
My plan was of to build a buttress of loose stone on which to stand to tap it with the tomahawk.
Tropic Days|E. J. Banfield
His fingers were just striking the first tap when a silken voice startled him.
Bucky O'Connor|William MacLeod Raine
Miss Priscilla was watching the tap of the urn run—her phrase, not ours.
A Likely Story|William De Morgan
It's a humblin' sicht your ain flittin' when ye see't on the tap o' a coal-lorry.
Erchie|(AKA Hugh Foulis) Neil Munro
British Dictionary definitions for tap (1 of 3)
tap1
/ (tæp) /
verbtaps, tappingortapped
to strike (something) lightly and usually repeatedlyto tap the table; to tap on the table
(tr)to produce by striking in this wayto tap a rhythm
(tr)to strike lightly with (something)to tap one's finger on the desk
(intr)to walk with a tapping soundshe tapped across the floor
(tr)to attach metal or leather reinforcing pieces to (the toe or heel of a shoe)
noun
a light blow or knock, or the sound made by it
the metal piece attached to the toe or heel of a shoe used for tap-dancing
short for tap-dancingSee tap-dancing
phoneticsthe 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
See also taps
Derived forms of tap
tappable, adjective
Word Origin for tap
C13 tappen, probably from Old French taper, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Low German tappen to pluck, Swedish dialect täpa to tap
British Dictionary definitions for tap (2 of 3)
tap2
/ (tæp) /
noun
a valve by which a fluid flow from a pipe can be controlled by opening and closing an orificeUS and Canadian name: faucet
a stopper to plug a cask or barrel and enable the contents to be drawn out in a controlled flow
a particular quality of alcoholic drink, esp when contained in casksan excellent tap
British short for taproom
the surgical withdrawal of fluid from a bodily cavitya spinal tap
Also called: screw tapa tool for cutting female screw threads, consisting of a threaded steel cylinder with longitudinal grooves forming cutting edgesCompare die 2 (def. 2)
electronics, mainlyUS and Canadiana connection made at some point between the end terminals of an inductor, resistor, or some other componentUsual Brit name: tapping
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
a concealed listening or recording device connected to a telephone or telegraph wire for the purpose of obtaining information secretly
on tap
informalready for immediate use
(of drinks) on draught
verbtaps, tappingortapped(tr)
to furnish with a tap
to draw off with or as if with a tap
to cut into (a tree) and draw off sap from it
Britishinformalto ask or beg (someone) for moneyhe 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
to make a connection to (a pipe, drain, etc)
to cut a female screw thread in (an object or material) by use of a tap
to withdraw (fluid) from (a bodily cavity)
informal(of a sports team or an employer) to make an illicit attempt to recruit (a player or employee bound by an existing contract)
Derived forms of tap
tappable, adjective
Word Origin for tap
Old English tæppa; related to Old Norse tappi tap, Old High German zapfo