tap

[ tap ]

/ tæp /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR tap ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

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.

British. a taphouse or taproom.

a tool for cutting screw threads into the cylindrical surface of a round opening.

Surgery. the withdrawal of fluid: spinal tap.

a hole made in tapping, as one in a pipe to furnish connection for a branch pipe.

Electricity. a connection brought out of a winding at some point between its extremities, for controlling the voltage ratio.

Informal. an act or instance of wiretapping.

Archaic. a particular kind or quality of drink.

verb (used with object), tapped, tap·ping.

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: to tap a telephone wire or telephone.

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.).

Verb Phrases

tap into, Informal. to gain access to; become friendly with: The candidate tapped into some wealthy supporters.

tap off, to remove (liquid, molten metal, etc.) from a keg, furnace, or the like: to tap off slag from a blast furnace.

Idioms for tap

on tap,

ready to be drawn and served, as liquor from a cask.
furnished with a tap or cock, as a barrel containing liquor.
Informal. ready for immediate use; available: There are numerous other projects on tap.

Origin of tap

before 1050; (noun) Middle English tappe, Old English tæppa; cognate with Dutch tap, Old High German zapfo, Old Norse tappi; (v.) Middle English tappen, Old English tæppian; cognate with Middle Low German, Middle Dutch tappen, German zapfen, Old Norse tappa

OTHER WORDS FROM tap

tap·pa·ble, adjective

Words nearby tap

taoiseach, taoism, taonga, taormina, taos, tap, tap bell, tap bolt, tap dance, tap pants, tap water

British Dictionary definitions for on tap (1 of 3)

tap ¹

/ (tæp) /

verb taps, tapping or tapped

to strike (something) lightly and usually repeatedly to tap the table; to tap on the table

(tr) to produce by striking in this way to tap a rhythm

(tr) to strike lightly with (something) to tap one's finger on the desk

(intr) to walk with a tapping sound she tapped across the floor

(tr) to attach metal or leather reinforcing pieces to (the toe or heel of a shoe)

noun

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 See tap-dancing

phonetics 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

Derived forms of tap

tappable, adjective

Word Origin for tap

C13 tappen, probably from Old French taper, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Low German tappen to pluck, Swedish dialect täpa to tap

British Dictionary definitions for on tap (2 of 3)

tap ²

/ (tæp) /

noun

a valve by which a fluid flow from a pipe can be controlled by opening and closing an orifice US and Canadian name: faucet

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 an excellent tap

British short for taproom

the surgical withdrawal of fluid from a bodily cavity a spinal tap

Also called: screw tap a tool for cutting female screw threads, consisting of a threaded steel cylinder with longitudinal grooves forming cutting edges Compare die 2 (def. 2)

electronics, mainly US and Canadian a connection made at some point between the end terminals of an inductor, resistor, or some other component Usual Brit name: tapping

stock exchange

an issue of a government security released slowly onto the market when its market price reaches a predetermined level
(as modifier)tap stock; tap issue

a concealed listening or recording device connected to a telephone or telegraph wire for the purpose of obtaining information secretly

on tap

informal ready for immediate use
(of drinks) on draught

verb taps, tapping or tapped (tr)

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

British informal to ask or beg (someone) for money he tapped me for a fiver

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)

informal (of a sports team or an employer) to make an illicit attempt to recruit (a player or employee bound by an existing contract)

Derived forms of tap

tappable, adjective

Word Origin for tap

Old English tæppa; related to Old Norse tappi tap, Old High German zapfo

British Dictionary definitions for on tap (3 of 3)

tap ³

/ (tæp) /

noun, verb

a Scot word for top 1

Medical definitions for on tap

tap

[ tăp ]

n.

The removal of fluid from a body cavity.

v.

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

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

Idioms and Phrases with on tap (1 of 2)

on tap

Available for immediate use, ready, as in We have two more trumpeters on tap for the parade. This metaphoric expression alludes to a beverage such as beer that is ready to be drawn from a cask. [Mid-1800s]

Idioms and Phrases with on tap (2 of 2)

tap

see on tap.

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

tap

noun

verb (used with object), tapped, tap·ping.

Verb Phrases

Idioms for tap

Origin of tap

OTHER WORDS FROM tap

Words nearby tap

British Dictionary definitions for on tap (1 of 3)

verb taps, tapping or tapped

noun

Derived forms of tap

Word Origin for tap

British Dictionary definitions for on tap (2 of 3)

noun

verb taps, tapping or tapped (tr)

Derived forms of tap

Word Origin for tap

British Dictionary definitions for on tap (3 of 3)

noun, verb

Medical definitions for on tap

n.

v.

Idioms and Phrases with on tap (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with on tap (2 of 2)

BROWSE DICTIONARY

Learning

tap

noun

verb (used with object), tapped, tap·ping.

Verb Phrases

Idioms for tap

Origin of tap

OTHER WORDS FROM tap

Words nearby tap

Words related to on tap

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []) .push({}); British Dictionary definitions for on tap (1 of 3)

verb taps, tapping or tapped

noun

Derived forms of tap

Word Origin for tap

British Dictionary definitions for on tap (2 of 3)

noun

verb taps, tapping or tapped (tr)

Derived forms of tap

Word Origin for tap

British Dictionary definitions for on tap (3 of 3)

noun, verb

Medical definitions for on tap

n.

v.

Idioms and Phrases with on tap (1 of 2)

Idioms and Phrases with on tap (2 of 2)

British Dictionary definitions for on tap (1 of 3)