tap

tap1 [ tæp ] verb **

1. ) intransitive or transitive to touch someone or something gently and move them slightly, or make a soft knocking sound:

Several young men were tapping away at keyboards (=using computers).

tap at/on/against: We could hear someone tapping at the door.

tap someone on something: I tapped him on the shoulder and he jumped.

2. ) transitive to use electronic equipment to secretly listen to what someone says on the telephone

3. ) transitive to get a substance from a particular place or object:

The organization planned to tap underground water resources.

tapping trees for rubber

a ) INFORMAL to get money from a particular person:

They intend to raise the money by tapping shareholders.

tap into: I'll have to tap into my savings to pay my bills.

4. ) tap or tap into transitive if you tap something such as someone's ability or a supply of information, you use it or get some benefit from it:

Are you tapping your staff's full potential?

This was a market other magazines had not been tapping.

`tap ,into phrasal verb transitive

1. ) same as TAP1 4:

There is a supply of skilled workers that they can tap into.

2. ) tap into something to understand and express something such as people's beliefs or attitudes:

the senator's ability to tap into the American psyche

,tap `out phrasal verb transitive

1. ) AMERICAN to use all the money that someone or something has available:

How can we buy a new house without tapping out our savings account?

2. ) to create a particular pattern of sounds by hitting a surface gently with your fingers

a ) to use your fingers to do something such as call a telephone number or write something using a computer keyboard:

I could hear him tapping out another job application.

3. ) AMERICAN to make you feel very tired:

We were tapped out after a long day of skiing.

tap

tap 2 [ tæp ] noun **

1. ) count the action or sound of touching someone or something gently:

I felt a tap on my shoulder.

A few taps with a hammer and it was fixed.

2. ) count an object used for controlling how much liquid or gas comes out of a pipe or container

a ) count an object used for letting beer out of a KEG

b ) BRITISH a FAUCET that controls the water coming out of a pipe

3. ) count electronic equipment used for listening secretly to someone's telephone conversations:

She suspected they'd put a tap on her phone.

4. ) uncount INFORMAL TAP DANCING:

My daughter takes ballet and tap.

on tap

1. ) if beer is on tap, it can be served from a large container with a tap, instead of from a bottle:

We have a light beer on tap, or imported beers in bottles.

2. ) easily available:

The Internet makes it possible to have all kinds of information on tap at any time.

3. ) AMERICAN INFORMAL planned for a particular time:

What's on tap for tomorrow?