Meaning of tap in English

1. Pronunciation

   /tæp/

   US accent

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   UK accent

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1. Verb

   tap

   Etymology

   Middle English: from Old French taper, or of imitative origin; compare with clap and rap

   Definitions

   1. cut a female screw thread with a tap
2. 2. draw from or dip into to get something

   Examples

   • « tap one's memory »
   • « tap a source of money »
3. 3. strike lightly

   Examples

   • « He tapped me on the shoulder »
4. 4. draw from

   Examples

   • « make good use of »
   • « we must exploit the resources we are given wisely »
5. 5. tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information

   Examples

   • « The FBI was tapping the phone line of the suspected spy »
   • « Is this hotel room bugged? »
6. 6. furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it

   Examples

   • « tap a cask of wine »
7. 7. make light, repeated taps on a surface

   Examples

   • « he was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently »
8. 8. walk with a tapping sound
9. 9. dance and make rhythmic clicking sounds by means of metal plates nailed to the sole of the dance shoes

   Examples

   • « Glover tapdances better than anybody »
10. 10. draw (liquor) from a tap

    Examples

    • « tap beer in a bar »
11. 11. pierce in order to draw a liquid from

    Examples

    • « tap a maple tree for its syrup »
    • « tap a keg of beer »
12. 12. make a solicitation or entreaty for something

    Examples

    • « request urgently or persistently »
    • « Henry IV solicited the Pope for a divorce »
    • « My neighbor keeps soliciting money for different charities »

13. Noun

    tap

    Etymology

    Old English tæppa ‘peg for the vent-hole of a cask’, tæppian ‘provide (a cask) with a stopper’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch tap and GermanZapfen (nouns)

    Definitions

    1. the sound made by a gentle blow
14. 2. a faucet for drawing water from a pipe or cask
15. 3. a gentle blow
16. 4. a small metal plate that attaches to the toe or heel of a shoe (as in tap dancing)
17. 5. a tool for cutting female (internal) screw threads
18. 6. a plug for a bunghole in a cask
19. 7. the act of tapping a telephone or telegraph line to get information
20. 8. a light touch or stroke