• Tap

    Pronunciation

    • IPA: /tæp/
    • Rhymes: -æp

    Origin 1

    From Old English tæppa, from Proto-Germanic *tappô.

    Noun

    tap

    (plural taps)
    1. A tapering cylindrical pin or peg used to stop the vent in a cask; a spigot.
    2. A device used to dispense liquids.We don't have bottled water; you'll have to get it from the tap.
    3. Liquor drawn through a tap; hence, a certain kind or quality of liquor.a liquor of the same tap
    4. A place where liquor is drawn for drinking; a taproom; a bar.
    5. (mechanics) A device used to cut an internal screw thread. (External screw threads are cut with a die.)We drilled a hole and then cut the threads with the proper tap to match the valve's thread.
    6. A connection made to an electrical or fluid conductor without breaking it.The system was barely keeping pressure due to all of the ill-advised taps along its length.
    7. An interception of communication by authority.

    Derived terms

    Synonyms

    Origin 2

    Old English tæppian

    Full definition of tap

    Verb

    1. To furnish with taps.
    2. To draw off liquid from a vessel.He tapped a new barrel of beer.
    3. To place a listening or recording device on a telephone or wired connection. from 19th c.They can't tap the phone without a warrant.
    4. To intercept a communication without authority.He was known to tap cable television
    5. (mechanical) To cut an internal screw thread.Tap an M3 thread all the way through the hole.

    Derived terms

    Synonyms

    Noun

    tap

    (plural taps)
    1. Device used to listen in secretly on telephone calls. from 20th c.

    Origin 3

    From Middle English tappen, teppen, from Old French tapper, taper ("to tap"), of origin, from Old Frankish *tappōn, *dabbōn ("to strike") or from Middle Low German tappen, tapen ("to tap, rap, strike"); both ultimately from Proto-Germanic *dab- ("to strike"), from Proto-Indo-European *dʰAbʰ- ("to beat, strike, stun, be speechless"). Related to German tappen ("to grope, fumble"), Icelandic tappa, tapsa, tæpta ("to tap"). Related to dab.

    Verb

    1. To strike lightly. from early 13th c.
    2. To touch one's finger, foot, or other body parts on a surface (usually) repeatedly.He was so nervous he began to tap his fingers on the table.She tapped her companion on the back to indicate that she was ready to go.Lydia tapped Jim on the shoulder to get his attention.
    3. To make a sharp noise.The tree, swaying in the breeze, began to tap on the window pane.
    4. To designate for some duty or for membership, as in 'a tap on the shoulder'. from mid-20th c.
    5. (slang, transitive) To have sexual intercourse with.I would tap that hot girl over there.I'd tap that.
    6. (combat sports) To submit to an opponent by tapping one's hand repeatedly.
    7. (combat sports, transitive) To force (an opponent) to submit.
      • 2000 October 14, "K®ÆzÂ¥ k ° †€°" (username), "Kimo Tapped Sakuraba", in alt.ufc
    , Usenet:
      • Hard to believe Kimo Leopoldo used a triangle choke to tap , but 4 years can make a difference.
      • 2003 April 2, "Eddie" (username), "I Tapped Somebody!", in rec.martial-arts
    , Usenet:
    , Usenet:
      • Genki Sudo weighed 1/4 of what Butterbean = weighs and he still tapped Butterbean.
    1. To put a new sole or heel on.to tap shoes

    Synonyms

    Noun

    tap

    (plural taps)
    1. A gentle or slight blow; a light rap; a pat.When Steve felt a tap on his shoulder, he turned around.
    2. (computing) The act of touching a touch screen.
    3. A piece of leather fastened upon the bottom of a boot or shoe in repairing or renewing the sole or heel; a heeltap.
    4. (military) 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.

    Anagrams

    © Wiktionary
    • © 2013 - 2023 All Rights Reserved