Tap_1 Verb - Definition, Pictures, Pronunciation And Usage Notes

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Definition of tap verb from the Oxford Advanced American Dictionary

  

tap

 verbverb NAmE//tæp// Verb Forms present simple I / you / we / they tap  he / she / it taps  past simple tapped  -ing form tapping   jump to other results
1. 1[intransitive, transitive] to hit someone or something quickly and lightly tap (away) (at something) Someone tapped at the door. He was busy tapping away at his computer. tap somebody/something Ralph tapped me on the shoulder.

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2. 2[transitive, intransitive] tap (something) if you tap your fingers, feet, etc. or they tap, you hit them gently against a table, the floor, etc., for example to the rhythm of music He kept tapping his fingers on the table. The music set everyone's feet tapping.
3. 3[intransitive, transitive] to make use of a source of energy, knowledge, etc. that already exists tap something We need to tap the expertise of the people we already have. tap into something The movie seems to tap into a general sentimentality about animals.
4. 4[transitive] tap something to fit a device to a telephone so that someone's calls can be listened to secretly He was convinced his phone was being tapped. see wiretapping
5. 5[transitive] tap something to cut into a tree in order to get liquid from it
6. 6[transitive, usually passive] tap somebody to choose someone to do a particular job Richards has been tapped to replace the retiring chairperson.
7. 7[transitive] tap something (phonetics) to produce a tap synonym flap
Phrasal Verbstap intap out

See tap in the Oxford Advanced Learner's DictionaryCheck pronunciation: tap

Other results

All matches

• tap noun
• faucet noun
• tap dance noun
• tap in phrasal verb
• tap out phrasal verb
• tap-in noun
• tap water noun
• spinal tap noun
• on tap
• lumbar puncture noun

See more Phrasal verbs

• tap in phrasal verb
• tap out phrasal verb

Idioms

• on tap

Nearby words

• Tanzanian noun
• Taoism noun
• tap verb
• tap noun
• tapas noun