Link Centre Dictionary

tap

UK/tɐːp/ US/tæp/ common informal slang uk us
verb (12) noun (8)

verb

1.
2.

draw from or dip into to get something

  • “tap one”
  • “;”
3.

strike lightly

  • “He tapped me on the shoulder”
Synonyms
4.

draw from; make good use of

  • “we must exploit the resources we are given wisely”
Synonyms
5.

tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information

  • “The FBI was tapping the phone line of the suspected spy”
  • “Is this hotel room bugged?”
Synonyms
6.

furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it

  • “tap a cask of wine”
7.

make light, repeated taps on a surface

  • “he was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently”
Synonyms
8.

walk with a tapping sound

9.

dance and make rhythmic clicking sounds by means of metal plates nailed to the sole of the dance shoes

  • “Glover tapdances better than anybody”
Synonyms
10.

draw (liquor) from a tap

  • “tap beer in a bar”
11.

pierce in order to draw a liquid from

  • “tap a maple tree for its syrup”
  • “tap a keg of beer”
12.

make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently

  • “Henry IV solicited the Pope for a divorce”
  • “My neighbor keeps soliciting money for different charities”
Synonyms

noun

1.

the sound made by a gentle blow

Synonyms
2.
3.

a gentle blow

Synonyms
4.

a small metal plate that attaches to the toe or heel of a shoe (as in tap dancing)

5.
6.

a plug for a bunghole in a cask

Synonyms
7.
8.

a light touch or stroke

Synonyms

Origin

The noun is derived from Middle English tappe (“hollow device for controlling the flow of liquid from a hole, cock, faucet, spigot; hole through which the liquid flows; the liquid which thus flows”), from Old English tæppa, from Proto-West Germanic *tappō, from Proto-Germanic *tappô (“a plug, tap; peg; tapering stick”), from Proto-Indo-European *deh₂p- (“to lose; to sacrifice”). Doublet of tapa. The verb is derived from Middle English tappen (“to obtain (liquid, chiefly liquor) from a tap; to obtain and sell (liquor)”), from Old English tæppian (“to provide (a container) with a stopper; to obtain (liquid) from a tap”), and then either: * from Old English tæppa (see above) + -ian (suffix forming verbs); or * from Proto-Germanic *tappōną, from *tappô (noun) (see above). Verb etymology 1, verb sense 1.3.5 (“to turn over (a playing card or playing piece) to remind players that it has already been used in that round”) alludes to the abilities or resources of the card or piece having been drawn on to the point of temporary exhaustion: see verb etymology 1, verb sense 1.3.2.

Phrases

  • ascitic tap
  • bubble tap
  • center tap
  • champagne tap
  • cold tap
  • double tap
  • elbow tap
  • finger tap
  • hot tap
  • mixer tap
  • off tap
  • on tap

Related words

Word family

Broader terms

Narrower terms

Parts

WordNet 2.1 (Princeton University). Wiktionary (CC BY-SA). CMU Pronouncing Dictionary. WordNet 2.1 Copyright Princeton University. All rights reserved. Wiktionary content is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike Licence.