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tap

 - 17 dictionary results

tap

1  [tap] ,verb, tapped, tap⋅ping, noun
Use tap in a Sentence
–verb (used with object)
1. to strike with a light but audible blow or blows; hit with repeated, slight blows: He tapped the door twice.
2. to make, put, etc., by tapping: to tap a nail into a wall.
3. to strike (the fingers, a foot, a pencil, etc.) upon or against something, esp. with repeated light blows: Stop tapping your feet!
4. Basketball. to strike (a ball in the air) in the direction of a teammate or of the basket.
5. to enter information or produce copy by tapping on a keyboard: to tap data into a computer; to tap out a magazine article.
6. to add a thickness of leather to the sole or heel of (a boot or shoe), as in repairing.
–verb (used without object)
7. to strike lightly but audibly, as to attract attention.
8. to strike light blows.
9. to tap-dance.
–noun
10. a light but audible blow: a tap on the shoulder.
11. the sound made by this.
12. 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.
13. Basketball. an act or instance of tapping the ball: Hanson got the tap from our center, who, 6prime;9″ tall, couldn't lose a jump ball.
14. a thickness of leather added to the sole or heel of a boot or shoe, as in repairing.
Origin:
1175–1225; (v.) ME tappen, var. of early ME teppen, prob. imit.; (n.) ME, deriv. of the v.

Related forms:
tap⋅pa⋅ble, adjective

tap

2  [tap] ,noun, verb, tapped, tap⋅ping.
–noun
1. a cylindrical stick, long plug, or stopper for closing an opening through which liquid is drawn, as in a cask; spigot.
2. a faucet or cock.
3. the liquor drawn through a particular tap.
4. British. a taphouse or taproom.
5. a tool for cutting screw threads into the cylindrical surface of a round opening.
6. Surgery. the withdrawal of fluid: spinal tap.
7. a hole made in tapping, as one in a pipe to furnish connection for a branch pipe.
8. Electricity. a connection brought out of a winding at some point between its extremities, for controlling the voltage ratio.
9. Informal. an act or instance of wiretapping.
10. Archaic. a particular kind or quality of drink.
–verb (used with object)
11. to draw liquid from (a vessel or container).
12. to draw off (liquid) by removing or opening a tap or by piercing a container.
13. to draw the tap or plug from or pierce (a cask or other container).
14. 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.
15. to connect into secretly so as to receive the message or signal being transmitted: to tap a telephone wire or telephone.
16. to furnish (a cask, container, pipe, etc.) with a tap.
17. to cut a screw thread into the surface of (an opening).
18. to open outlets from (power lines, highways, pipes, etc.).
—Verb phrases
19. tap into, Informal. to gain access to; become friendly with: The candidate tapped into some wealthy supporters.
20. tap off, to remove (liquid, molten metal, etc.) from a keg, furnace, or the like: to tap off slag from a blast furnace.
—Idiom
21. on tap,
a. ready to be drawn and served, as liquor from a cask.
b. furnished with a tap or cock, as a barrel containing liquor.
c. Informal. ready for immediate use; available: There are numerous other projects on tap.
Origin:
bef. 1050; (n.) ME tappe, OE tæppa; c. D tap, OHG zapfo, ON tappi; (v.) ME tappen, OE tæppian; c. MLG, MD tappen, G zapfen, ON tappa

Related forms:
tap⋅pa⋅ble, adjective
Dictionary.com Unabridged
Based on the Random House Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2009.
Cite This Source Link To tap
flap   (flāp)   
n.  

  1. A flat, usually thin piece attached at only one side.

  2. A projecting or hanging piece usually intended to double over and protect or cover: the flap of an envelope.

    1. The act of waving or fluttering: the flap of the flag in the wind.

    2. The sound produced by this motion.

  4. A blow given with something flat; a slap.

  5. A variable control surface on the trailing edge of an aircraft wing, used primarily to increase lift or drag.

  6. Either of the folded ends of a book jacket that fit inside the front and back covers.

  7. Medicine Tissue that has been partially detached and used in surgical grafting to fill an adjacent defect or cover the cut end of a bone after amputation.

  8. Linguistics A sound articulated by a single, quick touch of the tongue against the teeth or alveolar ridge, as (t) in water. Also called tap1.

  9. Informal A commotion or disturbance: a flap in Congress over the defense budget.

v.   flapped, flap·ping, flaps

v.   tr.

  1. To wave (the arms, for example) up and down.

  2. To cause to move or sway with a fluttering or waving motion.

  3. To hit with something broad and flat; slap.

  4. Informal To fling down; toss.

v.   intr.

  1. To move or sway while fixed at one edge or corner; flutter: banners flapping in the breeze.

  2. To wave arms or wings up and down.

  3. To fly by beating the air with the wings.

  4. Informal To become upset or flustered.


[Middle English flappe, slap.]
tap 1   (tāp)   
v.   tapped, tap·ping, taps

v.   tr.

  1. To strike gently with a light blow or blows: I tapped you on the shoulder to get your attention.

  2. To give a light rap with: tap a pencil.

  3. To produce with a succession of light blows: tap out a rhythm.

  4. To select, as for membership in an organization; designate. See Synonyms at appoint.

    1. To repair (shoe heels or toes) by applying a thin layer of leather or a substitute material.

    2. To attach metal plates to (shoe toes or heels).

v.   intr.

  1. To deliver a gentle, light blow or blows.

  2. To walk making light clicks.

n.  

    1. A gentle blow.

    2. The sound made by such a blow.

    3. A thin layer of leather or a substitute applied to a worn-down shoe heel or toe.

    4. A metal plate attached to the toe or heel of a shoe, as for tap-dancing.

    1. A thin layer of leather or a substitute applied to a worn-down shoe heel or toe.

    2. A metal plate attached to the toe or heel of a shoe, as for tap-dancing.

  3. Linguistics See flap.


[Middle English tappen, possibly from Old French taper.]
tap 2   (tāp)   
n.  

  1. A valve and spout used to regulate delivery of a fluid at the end of a pipe.

  2. A plug for a bunghole; a spigot.

    1. Liquor drawn from a spigot.

    2. Liquor of a particular brew, cask, or quality.

  4. Medicine The removal of fluid from a body cavity: a spinal tap.

  5. A tool for cutting an internal screw thread.

  6. A makeshift terminal in an electric circuit.

  7. A wiretap.

tr.v.   tapped, tap·ping, taps

  1. To furnish with a spigot or tap.

  2. To pierce in order to draw off liquid: tap a maple tree.

  3. To draw (liquid) from a vessel or container: tap a new keg of beer.

  4. Medicine To withdraw fluid from (a body cavity).

  5. To make a physical connection with or open outlets from: tap a water main.

    1. To wiretap (a telephone).

    2. To establish an electric connection in (a power line), as to divert current secretly.

  7. To establish access to or a connection with: tapped a new market for inexpensive books.

  8. To take advantage of; make use of: tapped voter anger to win the election.

  9. To cut screw threads in (a collar, socket, or other fitting).

  10. Informal To ask (a person) for money.

Phrasal Verb(s):
tap into

  1. To establish a connection with; have access to: tapped into a new market for their products.

  2. To take advantage of: tapped into their enthusiasm to improve the school.


Idiom(s):
on tap

  1. Ready to be drawn; in a tapped cask: beer on tap.

  2. Available for immediate use; ready: extra personnel on tap.


[Middle English tappe, from Old English tæppa.]
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition
Copyright © 2009 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
Slang Dictionary
tap (so) (for (sth))

  1. tv.
    to select someone for some purpose or position. : The committee tapped John to run for Congress.
Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions by Richard A. Spears.Fourth Edition.
Copyright 2007. Published by McGraw Hill.
Cite This Source
Word Origin & History

tap  (v.)
"strike lightly," c.1225, from O.Fr. taper "tap, rap, strike," from a Gallo-Romance or Gmc. source ultimately imitative of the sound of rapping. Meaning "to designate for some duty or for membership" is recorded from 1952, from notion of a tap on the shoulder. The noun is attested from c.1300. Tap dancer first recorded 1927, from tap (n.) in the sense of "metal plate over the heel of a shoe" (1688).

tap  (n.)
"stopper, faucet," O.E. tæppa, from P.Gmc. *tappon (cf. M.Du. tappe, Du. tap, O.H.G. zapfo, Ger. zapfen). Originally a tapering cylindrical peg (hence taproot, 1601). Meaning "device to listen in secretly on telephone calls" is from 1923, from the verb in this sense, originally (1869) with ref. to telegraph wires. Phrase on tap "ready for use" is recorded from 1483. The verb meaning "to supply with a tap" is from O.E. tæppian. Extended sense of "make use of" is first recorded 1575. Tap-room is from 1807. Tapped out "broke" is 1940s slang, perhaps from the notion of having tapped all one's acquaintances for loans already (cf. British slang on the tap "begging, making requests for loans," 1932).
Online Etymology Dictionary, © 2001 Douglas Harper
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Medical Dictionary

Main Entry: 1tap
Pronunciation: 'tap
Function: noun
: the procedure of removing fluid (as from a body cavity) —see LUMBAR PUNCTURE

Main Entry: 2tap
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: tapped; tap·ping
: to pierce so as to let out or draw off a fluid<tap the spine for a specimen of cerebrospinal fluid>

Main Entry: 3tap
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Forms: tapped; tap·ping
: to strike lightly especially with a slight sound

Main Entry: 4tap
Function: noun
: a light usually audible blow; also : its sound
Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary, © 2002 Merriam-Webster, Inc.
Cite This Source
Medical Dictionary

tap (tāp)
n.
The removal of fluid from a body cavity. v. tapped, tap·ping, taps

  1. To withdraw fluid from a body cavity, as with a trocar and cannula, hollow needle, or catheter.

  2. To strike lightly with the finger or a hammerlike instrument, as in percussion or to elicit a tendon reflex.

The American Heritage® Stedman's Medical Dictionary
Copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Cite This Source
Computing Dictionary

TAP
Telocator Alphanumeric Protocol

tap
hit

The Free On-line Dictionary of Computing, © 1993-2007 Denis Howe
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Idioms & Phrases

tap

see on tap.

The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer.
Copyright © 1997. Published by Houghton Mifflin.
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Abbreviations & Acronyms
TAP

  1. take a picture

  2. Technical Assistance Program

  3. Trans-Alaskan Pipeline

The American Heritage® Abbreviations Dictionary, Third Edition
Copyright © 2005 by Houghton Mifflin Company.
Published by Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved.
Cite This Source
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