TAP (tapped, tapping)

Pronunciation (US):

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IPA (US):

 Dictionary entry overview: What does tap mean? 

• TAP (noun)
  The noun TAP has 8 senses:

1. the sound made by a gentle blow

2. a gentle blow

3. a faucet for drawing water from a pipe or cask

4. a small metal plate that attaches to the toe or heel of a shoe (as in tap dancing)

5. a tool for cutting female (internal) screw threads

6. a plug for a bunghole in a cask

7. the act of tapping a telephone or telegraph line to get information

8. a light touch or stroke

  Familiarity information: TAP used as a noun is common.

• TAP (verb)
  The verb TAP has 12 senses:

1. cut a female screw thread with a tap

2. draw from or dip into to get something

3. strike lightly

4. draw from; make good use of

5. tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information

6. furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it

7. make light, repeated taps on a surface

8. walk with a tapping sound

9. dance and make rhythmic clicking sounds by means of metal plates nailed to the sole of the dance shoes

10. draw (liquor) from a tap

11. pierce in order to draw a liquid from

12. make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently

  Familiarity information: TAP used as a verb is familiar.

 Dictionary entry details 

• TAP (noun)

Sense 1

Meaning:

The sound made by a gentle blow

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

pat; rap; tap

Hypernyms ("tap" is a kind of...):

sound (the sudden occurrence of an audible event)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "tap"):

pitter-patter (a series of rapid tapping sounds)

Derivation:

tap (strike lightly)

tap (walk with a tapping sound)

tap (make light, repeated taps on a surface)

Sense 2

Meaning:

A gentle blow

Classified under:

Nouns denoting natural events

Synonyms:

rap; strike; tap

Hypernyms ("tap" is a kind of...):

blow; bump (an impact (as from a collision))

Derivation:

tap (strike lightly)

tap (make light, repeated taps on a surface)

Sense 3

Meaning:

A faucet for drawing water from a pipe or cask

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

hydrant; tap; water faucet; water tap

Hypernyms ("tap" is a kind of...):

faucet; spigot (a regulator for controlling the flow of a liquid from a reservoir)

plumbing fixture (a fixture for the distribution and use of water in a building)

Derivation:

tapster (a tavern keeper who taps kegs or casks)

Sense 4

Meaning:

A small metal plate that attaches to the toe or heel of a shoe (as in tap dancing)

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("tap" is a kind of...):

plate (a sheet of metal or wood or glass or plastic)

Domain category:

dance; dancing; saltation; terpsichore (taking a series of rhythmical steps (and movements) in time to music)

Derivation:

tap (dance and make rhythmic clicking sounds by means of metal plates nailed to the sole of the dance shoes)

Sense 5

Meaning:

A tool for cutting female (internal) screw threads

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Hypernyms ("tap" is a kind of...):

tool (an implement used in the practice of a vocation)

Derivation:

tap (cut a female screw thread with a tap)

Sense 6

Meaning:

A plug for a bunghole in a cask

Classified under:

Nouns denoting man-made objects

Synonyms:

spigot; tap

Hypernyms ("tap" is a kind of...):

plug; stopper; stopple (blockage consisting of an object designed to fill a hole tightly)

Holonyms ("tap" is a part of...):

barrel; cask (a cylindrical container that holds liquids)

Derivation:

tap (pierce in order to draw a liquid from)

tap (draw (liquor) from a tap)

tap (furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it)

tapster (a tavern keeper who taps kegs or casks)

Sense 7

Meaning:

The act of tapping a telephone or telegraph line to get information

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

tap; wiretap

Hypernyms ("tap" is a kind of...):

investigating; investigation (the work of inquiring into something thoroughly and systematically)

Derivation:

tap (tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information)

Sense 8

Meaning:

A light touch or stroke

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Synonyms:

dab; pat; tap

Hypernyms ("tap" is a kind of...):

touch; touching (the act of putting two things together with no space between them)

Derivation:

tap (make light, repeated taps on a surface)

tap (strike lightly)

• TAP (verb)

Conjugation:

Sense 1

Meaning:

Cut a female screw thread with a tap

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Hypernyms (to "tap" is one way to...):

cut (separate with or as if with an instrument)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

tap (a tool for cutting female (internal) screw threads)

tapper (a worker who uses a tap to cut screw threads)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Draw from or dip into to get something

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

tap a source of money

Hypernyms (to "tap" is one way to...):

draw; draw off; take out; withdraw (remove (a commodity) from (a supply source))

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Something ----s something
Somebody ----s something PP

Sense 3

Meaning:

Strike lightly

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Synonyms:

tap; tip

Context example:

He tapped me on the shoulder

Hypernyms (to "tap" is one way to...):

strike (deliver a sharp blow, as with the hand, fist, or weapon)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tap"):

percuss (strike or tap firmly)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody PP
Somebody ----s something PP

Derivation:

tapper (a person who strikes a surface lightly and usually repeatedly)

tap (a gentle blow)

tap (a light touch or stroke)

tap (the sound made by a gentle blow)

Sense 4

Meaning:

Draw from; make good use of

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Synonyms:

exploit; tap

Context example:

we must exploit the resources we are given wisely

Hypernyms (to "tap" is one way to...):

apply; employ; use; utilise; utilize (put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tap"):

maximise; maximize (make the most of)

harness (exploit the power of)

mine (get from the earth by excavation)

quarry (extract (something such as stones) from or as if from a quarry)

overexploit (exploit excessively)

commercialize (exploit for maximal profit, usually by sacrificing quality)

milk (exploit as much as possible)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Sense 5

Meaning:

Tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

bug; intercept; tap; wiretap

Context example:

Is this hotel room bugged?

Hypernyms (to "tap" is one way to...):

eavesdrop; listen in (listen without the speaker's knowledge)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

tap (the act of tapping a telephone or telegraph line to get information)

tapper (someone who wiretaps a telephone or telegraph wire)

Sense 6

Meaning:

Furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it

Classified under:

Verbs of buying, selling, owning

Context example:

tap a cask of wine

Hypernyms (to "tap" is one way to...):

furnish; provide; render; supply (give something useful or necessary to)

Verb group:

tap (pierce in order to draw a liquid from)

tap (draw (liquor) from a tap)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

tap (a plug for a bunghole in a cask)

tapper (a tavern keeper who taps kegs or casks)

Sense 7

Meaning:

Make light, repeated taps on a surface

Classified under:

Verbs of seeing, hearing, feeling

Synonyms:

knock; pink; rap; tap

Context example:

he was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently

Hypernyms (to "tap" is one way to...):

go; sound (make a certain noise or sound)

Sentence frames:

Something ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Derivation:

tap (a light touch or stroke)

tap (the sound made by a gentle blow)

tap (a gentle blow)

tapping (the sound of light blow or knock)

Sense 8

Meaning:

Walk with a tapping sound

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Hypernyms (to "tap" is one way to...):

walk (use one's feet to advance; advance by steps)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s
Somebody ----s PP

Sentence example:

The children tap to the playground

Derivation:

tap (the sound made by a gentle blow)

Sense 9

Meaning:

Dance and make rhythmic clicking sounds by means of metal plates nailed to the sole of the dance shoes

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Synonyms:

tap; tapdance

Context example:

Glover tapdances better than anybody

Hypernyms (to "tap" is one way to...):

dance; trip the light fantastic; trip the light fantastic toe (move in a pattern; usually to musical accompaniment; do or perform a dance)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s

Sentence example:

Sam and Sue tap

Derivation:

tap (a small metal plate that attaches to the toe or heel of a shoe (as in tap dancing))

tapper (a dancer who sounds out rhythms by using metal taps on the toes and heels of the shoes)

Sense 10

Meaning:

Draw (liquor) from a tap

Classified under:

Verbs of walking, flying, swimming

Context example:

tap beer in a bar

Hypernyms (to "tap" is one way to...):

draw; take out (take liquid out of a container or well)

Verb group:

tap (furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

tap (a plug for a bunghole in a cask)

tapper (a tavern keeper who taps kegs or casks)

Sense 11

Meaning:

Pierce in order to draw a liquid from

Classified under:

Verbs of touching, hitting, tying, digging

Context example:

tap a keg of beer

Hypernyms (to "tap" is one way to...):

pierce (make a hole into)

Verb group:

tap (furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

tap (a plug for a bunghole in a cask)

Sense 12

Meaning:

Make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently

Classified under:

Verbs of telling, asking, ordering, singing

Synonyms:

beg; solicit; tap

Context example:

My neighbor keeps soliciting money for different charities

Hypernyms (to "tap" is one way to...):

ask for; bespeak; call for; quest; request (express the need or desire for)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "tap"):

quest (seek alms, as for religious purposes)

canvass (solicit votes from potential voters in an electoral campaign)

buttonhole; lobby (detain in conversation by or as if by holding on to the outer garments of; as for political or economic favors)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something from somebody

 Context examples 

Monday night after nine. Two taps. Only ourselves. Do not be so suspicious.

(His Last Bow, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Didn't do a tap of work all that time.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)

Mrs. Micawber, tapping at the wall again to know if tea were ready, broke up this particular phase of our friendly conversation.

(David Copperfield, by Charles Dickens)

Then he smiled, and when a tap came at the door, called out in a loud, brisk tone, "Herein!"

(Little Women, by Louisa May Alcott)

She took no liquid, as there was a water-tap in the stables, and it was the rule that the lad on duty should drink nothing else.

(The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

As he was speaking there was a soft tapping at the door.

(Dracula, by Bram Stoker)

The Abbot was still on his knees, when a gentle tapping at the door of his cell broke in upon his orisons.

(The White Company, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

“What’s in here?” he asked, tapping the safe.

(The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

Whoever it was came outside the window and tapped.

(Rodney Stone, by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle)

International travelers should be careful about drinking tap water.

(Hepatitis A, NIH: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases)