- to strike with a light but audible blow or blows; hit with repeated, slight blows: He tapped the door twice.
- to make, put, etc., by tapping: She tapped a nail into the wall to hang a picture.
- to strike (the fingers, a foot, a pencil, etc.) upon or against something, especially with repeated light blows: Stop tapping your feet!
- to strike (a ball in the air) in the direction of a teammate or of the basket.
- Digital Technology.
- to make a selection or enter information on a touchscreen by tapping (a button, icon, or the like): To return to the previous page, tap the back arrow at the bottom of the screen.
- to enter (data) by tapping on a keyboard: For a breathless instant her capable fingers tapped codes into the company server.
- to recruit, appoint, or select for a particular role or task: After he’d cooked there for 20 years, the restaurant owner finally tapped him for chef.
- to add a thickness of leather to the sole or heel of (a boot or shoe), as in repairing.
- to strike lightly but audibly, as to attract attention (usually followed by on or against): The prisoners communicated by tapping on their cell walls.The teacher tapped on the blackboard to indicate that the time was up.
- to strike light blows: The geologist stopped tapping with her hammer to examine a bit of rock under a magnifying glass.
- to type or enter information on a keyboard: He tapped away at his computer without looking up.
- to perform a tap dance.
- a light, sometimes audible blow: I felt a tap on my shoulder.
- the sound made by this.
- a piece of metal attached to the toe or heel of a shoe, as for reinforcement or for making the tapping of a dancer more audible.
- an act or instance of tapping the ball: Hanson got the tap from our center, who, 6′9″ tall, couldn't lose a jump ball.
- a thickness of leather added to the sole or heel of a boot or shoe, as in repairing.
- tap out,
- (in wrestling, karate, or the like) to acknowledge defeat by tapping on the mat:Finally, trapped in the chokehold, he was forced to tap out for the first time in his career.
- to concede or withdraw from an undertaking one feels unable to continue; quit: The owners have tapped out of the company after nearly 16 years, although they'll retain a minority interest.
- to produce by means of a series of taps: She tapped out the drum rhythm on the table.The pilot tapped out a signal in Morse code.
- to type or enter on a keyboard: He used to tap out his weekly column on an old Olivetti.
- to remove by tapping: All air bubbles should be tapped out before clamping the end of the tube.
- a cylindrical stick, long plug, or stopper for closing an opening through which liquid is drawn, as in a cask; spigot.
- a faucet or cock.
- the liquor drawn through a particular tap.
- a taphouse or taproom.
- a tool for cutting screw threads into the cylindrical surface of a round opening.
- the withdrawal of fluid: spinal tap.
- a hole made in tapping, as one in a pipe to furnish connection for a branch pipe.
- a connection brought out of a winding at some point between its extremities, for controlling the voltage ratio.
- an act or instance of wiretapping.
- a particular kind or quality of drink.
- to draw liquid from (a vessel or container).
- to draw off (liquid) by removing or opening a tap or by piercing a container.
- to draw the tap or plug from or pierce (a cask or other container).
- to penetrate, open up, reach into, etc., for the purpose of using something or drawing something off; begin to use: to tap one's resources.
- to connect into secretly so as to receive the message or signal being transmitted (sometimes used with into): Authorities tapped his phone line, suspecting that he was a spy.Here’s how to tell if your neighbor is tapping into your cable service.
- to obtain money or other resources from: Before attempting the project we tapped her for some quick tips on common mistakes to avoid.He finally decided to tap his father for a loan.
- to furnish (a cask, container, pipe, etc.) with a tap.
- to cut a screw thread into the surface of (an opening).
- to open outlets from (power lines, highways, pipes, etc.).
- tap into, Informal.
- to draw on or bring into play: You can overcome many obstacles if you just tap into the strength and skills you already possess!
- to access and make profitable use of: We are well placed to help clients tap into these emerging opportunities.
- to remove (liquid, molten metal, etc.) from a keg, furnace, or the like: to tap off slag from a blast furnace.
- tap out,
- to exhaust or use up the supply of: If we overfish the oceans, we will tap out the resources our ancestors have relied on for thousands of years.
- to drain or exhaust the resources of (usually used in the passive and often followed by of): When the recession hit, we were tapped out and deeply in debt.Sorry I can’t contribute much here—I’m all tapped out of ideas.
- to be closely connected with or attuned to: He’s pretty tapped into his followers on social media.Her music is at its best when she’s tapped into her Trinidadian roots.
- on tap,
- ready to be drawn and served, as liquor from a cask.
- furnished with a tap or cock, as a barrel containing liquor.
- ready for immediate use; available: There are numerous other projects on tap.
- to strike (something) lightly and usually repeatedly
- to produce by striking in this way
- to strike lightly with (something)
- to walk with a tapping sound
- to attach metal or leather reinforcing pieces to (the toe or heel of a shoe)
- a light blow or knock, or the sound made by it
- the metal piece attached to the toe or heel of a shoe used for tap-dancing
- short for tap-dancing
- the contact made between the tip of the tongue and the alveolar ridge as the tongue is flicked upwards in the execution of a flap or vibrates rapidly in the execution of a trill or roll
- a valve by which a fluid flow from a pipe can be controlled by opening and closing an orifice
- a stopper to plug a cask or barrel and enable the contents to be drawn out in a controlled flow
- a particular quality of alcoholic drink, esp when contained in casks
- British short for taproom
- the surgical withdrawal of fluid from a bodily cavity
- a tool for cutting female screw threads, consisting of a threaded steel cylinder with longitudinal grooves forming cutting edges
- a connection made at some point between the end terminals of an inductor, resistor, or some other component
- stock exchange
- an issue of a government security released slowly onto the market when its market price reaches a predetermined level
- (as modifier)
- a concealed listening or recording device connected to a telephone or telegraph wire for the purpose of obtaining information secretly
- on tap
- ready for immediate use
- (of drinks) on draught
- to furnish with a tap
- to draw off with or as if with a tap
- to cut into (a tree) and draw off sap from it
- to ask or beg (someone) for money
- to connect a tap to (a telephone or telegraph wire)
- to listen in secret to (a telephone message, etc) by means of a tap
- to make a connection to (a pipe, drain, etc)
- to cut a female screw thread in (an object or material) by use of a tap
- to withdraw (fluid) from (a bodily cavity)
- (of a sports team or an employer) to make an illicit attempt to recruit (a player or employee bound by an existing contract)
- a Scot word for top 1