Meaning of tap in English

Table of contents
  1. Pronunciation
  2. Verb
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions
  3. Noun
    1. Etymology
    2. Definitions

  1. Pronunciation

    /tæp/

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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

    Derived terms

  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 »

    Derived terms

  4. 4. draw from

    Examples

    • « make good use of »
    • « we must exploit the resources we are given wisely »

    Derived terms

  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? »

    Derived terms

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

    Examples

    • « tap a cask of wine »

    Derived terms

  7. 7. make light, repeated taps on a surface

    Examples

    • « he was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently »

    Derived terms

  8. 8. walk with a tapping sound

    Derived terms

  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 »

    Derived terms

  10. 10. draw (liquor) from a tap

    Examples

    • « tap beer in a bar »

    Derived terms

  11. 11. pierce in order to draw a liquid from

    Examples

    • « tap a maple tree for its syrup »
    • « tap a keg of beer »

    Derived terms

  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 »

    Derived terms

  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

    Derived terms

  14. 2. a faucet for drawing water from a pipe or cask
  15. 3. a gentle blow

    Derived terms

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

    Derived terms

  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

    Derived terms

  20. 8. a light touch or stroke

    Derived terms

Famous quotes

  • « Whenever I drive under a yellow light, I always kiss my finger and tap it on the roof of the car. »
    Jared Padalecki
  • « In third grade, I was taking tap-dance lessons, and about six weeks before the recital I wanted to quit. My mom said, 'No, you're going to stay with it.' Well, I did it, and I was bad, too! But my parents never let their kids walk away from something because it was too hard. »
    Rebecca Lobo
  • « I love the old Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly movies they're so beautiful to look at. It's such a shame we don't make them anymore. Although, I don't know how you could make tap dancing current and topical. »
    Jamie Bell
  • « I've had a lot of very positive feedback about those stories, and seem to have struck upon something that most people feel. I can also tap dance, and don't know many other authors who can. »
    Paul Kane
  • « This life that has been given to us as a gift, as such a precious gift. To really try to understand it, really try to recognize it, is the greatest meditation. Through the media of this Knowledge we can tap into our inner sources that are so beautiful. »
    Prem Rawat

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