tap
Pronunciation: (tap), [key]
— v., n. tapped, tap•ping,
—v.t.
- 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: to tap a nail into a wall.
- to strike (the fingers, a foot, a pencil, etc.) upon or against something, esp. 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.
- to enter information or produce copy by tapping on a keyboard: to tap data into a computer; to tap out a magazine article.
- to add a thickness of leather to the sole or heel of (a boot or shoe), as in repairing.
—v.i.
- to strike lightly but audibly, as to attract attention.
- to strike light blows.
- to tap-dance.
—n.
- a light but audible blow: a tap on the 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, 6prime;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
Pronunciation: (tap), [key]
— n., v., tapped, tap•ping.
—n.
- 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.
- There are numerous other projects 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.
—v.t.
- 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.).
- to gain access to; become friendly with: The candidate tapped into some wealthy supporters.
- to remove (liquid, molten metal, etc.) from a keg, furnace, or the like: to tap off slag from a blast furnace.
Random House Unabridged Dictionary, Copyright © 1997, by Random House, Inc., on Infoplease.