I. ˈtap noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English tappe, from Old English tæppa; akin to Middle Dutch tappe tap, Old High German zapho, Old Norse tappi tap, Old English ā timplian to provide with nails, Middle Low German timpe tip and probably to Old High German zumpfo penis, Avestan duma tail
1.
a. : a plug for stopping a hole (as in a cask) : spigot
b. : a device consisting of a spout and valve that is attached to the end of a pipe to control the flow of a liquid or gas : faucet , cock
turn on the tap of a hydrant
c. : corporation cock
2.
a.
(1) : liquor drawn through a tap
(2) archaic : a particular kind or quality of liquor
liquor of the same tap
b. : a quantity of a liquid (as molten metal from a furnace) run out at one time
c. : the procedure of removing fluid (as from a body cavity)
a spinal tap
3.
[by shortening]
: taproom
4.
[by shortening]
: taphole
5.
a. : a tool for forming an internal screw thread (as in a nut) consisting of a hardened tool-steel male screw grooved longitudinally so as to have cutting edges — see bottoming tap , hand tap , machine tap , pipe tap
b. : nut 3
6. slang : a request for a loan or gift
7.
a. : a connection to an electric coil making it possible to place only part of the coil in circuit
b. : a wire brought from a winding to which connections may be made
c. : a current tap
d. : an intermediate point where an electrical connection may be made
8. : the action or an instance of wiretapping
put a tap on the suspect's telephone — Joel Sayre
•
- on tap
II. verb
( tapped ; tapped ; tapping ; taps )
Etymology: Middle English tappen, from Old English tæppian; akin to Middle Dutch tappen to draw off, tap, Old High German zepfo; denominative from the root of English tap (I)
transitive verb
1. : to furnish with a tap
tap a bolt
2. : to let out or cause to flow by piercing or by drawing a plug from the containing vessel
tap a liquor
3.
a. : to pierce so as to let out or draw off a fluid : draw off or drain off fluid or gas from
tap a cask
tap the abdomen
tap a rubber tree
tap a blast furnace
b. : to open up (anything) so as to extract something : draw from
several railways tap the region — C.L.White & G.T.Renner
tap new sources of energy
4. : to remove the taproot from
5. : to form a female screw in by means of a tap
tap a nut
— distinguished from thread
6. : to get money from as a loan or gift
7. : to connect (a street gas or water main) with a local supply (as at a house) by a corporation cock
8.
a. : to connect or cut in (an electrical circuit) on another circuit
b. : to cut in on (a telephone or telegraph wire) to get messages, information, or evidence
9. : to bet in a game of poker played for table stakes all the money in the possession of (oneself) or an amount equaling all the money in the possession of (an opponent) whichever is the lesser amount
intransitive verb
: to tap oneself or an opponent in game of poker played for table stakes
III. adjective
Etymology: from the phrase ( on ) tap
: offered for sale continuously and not in a fixed total amount
a tap issue of government bonds
— see tap bond
IV. verb
( tapped ; tapped ; tapping ; taps )
Etymology: Middle English tappen; partly from Middle French taper to strike with the flat of the hand, of Germanic origin; akin to Middle High German tāpe paw, blow dealt with the paw; partly of Scandinavian origin; akin to Swedish dialect täpa to tap, Old Norse tæpta; akin to Middle Low German tappen to tug, pluck, Old Norse tapa to lose, bring to an end, destroy and probably to Old High German teilen to divide, Sanskrit dayate he apportions — more at deal , tide
transitive verb
1. : to strike lightly especially with a slight sound : rap lightly and repeatedly
tapped a typewriter all morning
tapped me on the shoulder with his forefinger
tap a bell with a hammer
tap a brick into place
had tapped him to sleep with a blackjack — Erle Stanley Gardner
2. : to give one or more light usually audible blows with
tap a pencil on the table
3. : to produce by striking repeatedly with light blows
a woodpecker tapped a hole in the tree
— often used with out
tap out a telegraph message
tap out a paragraph on a typewriter
4. : to repair by putting a tap on
tap shoes
5. : select , designate
was tapped for police commissioner
specifically : to elect to membership in a particular organization (as a fraternity)
6. : to divert (a basketball) to a player of one's own side or into the basket by a tap with the fingertips : tip
intransitive verb
1. : to strike lightly but audibly : rap
moths tapped and blurred at the window screen — R.P.Warren
2. of a hare or rabbit : to drum with the feet
3. : to walk with light but audible steps
tapped off on nonchalant heels — LaSelle Gilman
4. : tap-dance
V. noun
( -s )
Etymology: Middle English tape, tappe, from tappen to tap
1.
a. : a light usually audible blow : a light rap
b. : the sound of a light blow
the tap of ivy on the pane — Virginia Woolf
c. : one of several drumbeats on a snare drum played usually at a rapid speed
d. : a striking of the ball with the fingertips in basketball
gained the opening tap
e. : flap 6
2. : a partial sole put on over the worn sole of a shoe : half sole — called also tap sole
3. : a slight amount
didn't do a tap of work
without a tap of work or fuss by your client — Empire State Architect
4. taps ˈtaps plural
a. : a small metal plate for attaching to the sole or heel of a shoe especially to make a clicking sound (as in tap dancing) — compare cleat 2a
b. : tap shoe
c. : a step (as in tap dancing) in which the ball or the toes of one foot are touched lightly to the floor so as to make a sound
d. : tap dance
tap lessons
5. : a solid hit in the pocket that leaves a lone bowling pin standing
VI. ˈtəp noun
( -s )
Etymology: Hindi, from Sanskrit tapa heat, from tapati it gives out heat — more at tepid
1. India : heat
2. India : malarial fever 1
3. India : penance
VII. ˈtap noun
( -s )
Etymology: by shortening
: tapadero
VIII. transitive verb
•
- tap into