tap Meaning, Definition & Usage

  1. noun the sound made by a gentle blow
    pat; rap.
  2. noun a gentle blow
    strike; rap.
  3. noun a faucet for drawing water from a pipe or cask
    water faucet; hydrant; water tap.
  4. noun a small metal plate that attaches to the toe or heel of a shoe (as in tap dancing)
  5. noun a tool for cutting female (internal) screw threads
  6. noun a plug for a bunghole in a cask
    spigot.
  7. noun the act of tapping a telephone or telegraph line to get information
    wiretap.
  8. noun a light touch or stroke
    pat; dab.
  9. verb cut a female screw thread with a tap
  10. verb draw from or dip into to get something
    • tap one's memory
    • tap a source of money
  11. verb strike lightly
    tip.
    • He tapped me on the shoulder
  12. verb draw from; make good use of
    exploit.
    • we must exploit the resources we are given wisely
  13. verb tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information
    wiretap; intercept; bug.
    • The FBI was tapping the phone line of the suspected spy
    • Is this hotel room bugged?
  14. verb furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it
    • tap a cask of wine
  15. verb make light, repeated taps on a surface
    pink; knock; rap.
    • he was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently
  16. verb walk with a tapping sound
  17. verb dance and make rhythmic clicking sounds by means of metal plates nailed to the sole of the dance shoes
    tapdance.
    • Glover tapdances better than anybody
  18. verb draw (liquor) from a tap
    • tap beer in a bar
  19. verb pierce in order to draw a liquid from
    • tap a maple tree for its syrup
    • tap a keg of beer
  20. verb make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently
    beg; solicit.
    • Henry IV solicited the Pope for a divorce
    • My neighbor keeps soliciting money for different charities

WordNet

Tap transitive verb
Etymology
F. taper to strike; of Teutonic origin; cf. dial. G. tapp, tapps, a blow, tappe a paw, fist, G. tappen to grope.
Wordforms
imperfect & past participle Tapped ; present participle & verbal noun Tapping
Definitions
  1. To strike with a slight or gentle blow; to touch gently; to rap lightly; to pat; as, to tap one with the hand or a cane.
  2. To put a new sole or heel on; as, to tap shoes.
Tap noun
Etymology
Cf. F. tape. See Tap to strike.
Definitions
  1. A gentle or slight blow; a light rap; a pat. Addison.
  2. A piece of leather fastened upon the bottom of a boot or shoe in repairing or renewing the sole or heel. a piece of metal so fastened, used to reduce wear on the shoe, or for the purpose of tap dancing.
  3. pl. (Mil.) A signal, by drum or trumpet, for extinguishing all lights in soldiers' quarters and retiring to bed, -- usually given about a quarter of an hour after tattoo. Wilhelm.
Tap intransitive verb
Definitions
  1. To strike a gentle blow.
Tap noun
Etymology
AS. tæppa, akin to D. tap, G. zapfen, OHG. zapfo, Dan. tap, Sw. tapp, Icel. tappi. Cf. Tampion, Tip.
Definitions
  1. A hole or pipe through which liquor is drawn.
  2. A plug or spile for stopping a hole pierced in a cask, or the like; a faucet.
  3. Liquor drawn through a tap; hence, a certain kind or quality of liquor; as, a liquor of the same tap. Colloq.
  4. A place where liquor is drawn for drinking; a taproom; a bar. Colloq.
  5. (Mech.) A tool for forming an internal screw, as in a nut, consisting of a hardened steel male screw grooved longitudinally so as to have cutting edges.
Tap transitive verb
Definitions
  1. To pierce so as to let out, or draw off, a fluid; as, to tap a cask, a tree, a tumor, etc.
  2. Hence, to draw from (anything) in any analogous way; as, to tap telegraph wires for the purpose of intercepting information; to tap the treasury. to tap a telephone.
  3. To draw, or cause to flow, by piercing. Shak.
    He has been tapping his liquors. Addison.
  4. (Mech.) To form an internal screw in (anything) by means of a tool called a tap; as, to tap a nut.

Webster 1913