tapping1

[tap-ing] /ˈtæp ɪŋ/
noun
1.
the act of a person or thing that taps or strikes lightly.
2.
the sound produced by this.
Origin
1400-50; late Middle English; see tap1, -ing1

tapping2

[tap-ing] /ˈtæp ɪŋ/
noun
1.
the act of tapping casks, telephone conversations, etc.
2.
something that is drawn by tapping.
3.
paracentesis.
Origin
1590-1600; tap2 + -ing1

tap1

[tap] /tæp/
verb (used with object), tapped, tapping.
1.
to strike with a light but audible blow or blows; hit with repeated, slight blows:
He tapped the door twice.
2.
to make, put, etc., by tapping:
to tap a nail into a wall.
3.
to strike (the fingers, a foot, a pencil, etc.) upon or against something, especially with repeated light blows:
Stop tapping your feet!
4.
Basketball. to strike (a ball in the air) in the direction of a teammate or of the basket.
5.
to enter information or produce copy by tapping on a keyboard:
to tap data into a computer; to tap out a magazine article.
6.
to add a thickness of leather to the sole or heel of (a boot or shoe), as in repairing.
verb (used without object), tapped, tapping.
7.
to strike lightly but audibly, as to attract attention.
8.
to strike light blows.
9.
to tap-dance.
noun
10.
a light but audible blow:
a tap on the shoulder.
11.
the sound made by this.
12.
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.
13.
Basketball. 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.
14.
a thickness of leather added to the sole or heel of a boot or shoe, as in repairing.
Origin
1175-1225; (v.) Middle English tappen, variant of early Middle English teppen, probably imitative; (noun) Middle English, derivative of the v.
Related forms
tappable, adjective
untappable, adjective

tap2

[tap] /tæp/
noun
1.
a cylindrical stick, long plug, or stopper for closing an opening through which liquid is drawn, as in a cask; spigot.
2.
a faucet or cock.
3.
the liquor drawn through a particular tap.
4.
British. a taphouse or taproom.
5.
a tool for cutting screw threads into the cylindrical surface of a round opening.
6.
Surgery. the withdrawal of fluid:
spinal tap.
7.
a hole made in tapping, as one in a pipe to furnish connection for a branch pipe.
8.
Electricity. a connection brought out of a winding at some point between its extremities, for controlling the voltage ratio.
9.
Informal. an act or instance of wiretapping.
10.
Archaic. a particular kind or quality of drink.
verb (used with object), tapped, tapping.
11.
to draw liquid from (a vessel or container).
12.
to draw off (liquid) by removing or opening a tap or by piercing a container.
13.
to draw the tap or plug from or pierce (a cask or other container).
14.
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.
15.
to connect into secretly so as to receive the message or signal being transmitted:
to tap a telephone wire or telephone.
16.
to furnish (a cask, container, pipe, etc.) with a tap.
17.
to cut a screw thread into the surface of (an opening).
18.
to open outlets from (power lines, highways, pipes, etc.).
Verb phrases
19.
tap into, Informal. to gain access to; become friendly with:
The candidate tapped into some wealthy supporters.
20.
tap off, to remove (liquid, molten metal, etc.) from a keg, furnace, or the like:
to tap off slag from a blast furnace.
Idioms
21.
on tap,
  1. ready to be drawn and served, as liquor from a cask.
  2. furnished with a tap or cock, as a barrel containing liquor.
  3. Informal. ready for immediate use; available:
    There are numerous other projects on tap.
Origin
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
Related forms
tappable, adjective
Examples from the web for tapping
  • He held a whip in his hand and kept tapping the ground.
  • He didn't pick it up at once, but sat back for a moment in his chair, with his fingers tapping on his knees.
  • tapping the hood twice, he waved us to the side of the road.
  • She was smoking a cigarette and tapping the steering wheel with her thumb, keeping time to music on her car radio.
  • To extend professional preparation beyond career fairs by tapping a new alumni-veteran chapter.
  • We have become more efficient, you might say, at tapping our collective brainpower.
  • In each pair, only one dog could end the shocks, by tapping a side panel with its head.
  • However, my steely resolve did not extend to tapping our emergency fund, or borrowing money.
  • For extended web reading, expand the page to full screen by tapping the lower-right corner's diagonal, two-headed arrow.
  • tapping its additional oil would use up that insurance, and could cause prices to spike.
British Dictionary definitions for tapping

tap1

/tæp/
verb taps, tapping, tapped
1.
to strike (something) lightly and usually repeatedly: to tap the table, to tap on the table
2.
(transitive) to produce by striking in this way: to tap a rhythm
3.
(transitive) to strike lightly with (something): to tap one's finger on the desk
4.
(intransitive) to walk with a tapping sound: she tapped across the floor
5.
(transitive) to attach metal or leather reinforcing pieces to (the toe or heel of a shoe)
noun
6.
a light blow or knock, or the sound made by it
7.
the metal piece attached to the toe or heel of a shoe used for tap-dancing
8.
short for tap-dancing See tap-dancing
9.
(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
See also taps
Derived Forms
tappable, adjective
Word Origin
C13 tappen, probably from Old French taper, of Germanic origin; related to Middle Low German tappen to pluck, Swedish dialect täpa to tap

tap2

/tæp/
noun
1.
a valve by which a fluid flow from a pipe can be controlled by opening and closing an orifice US and Canadian name faucet
2.
a stopper to plug a cask or barrel and enable the contents to be drawn out in a controlled flow
3.
a particular quality of alcoholic drink, esp when contained in casks: an excellent tap
4.
(Brit) short for taproom
5.
the surgical withdrawal of fluid from a bodily cavity: a spinal tap
6.
Also called screw tap. a tool for cutting female screw threads, consisting of a threaded steel cylinder with longitudinal grooves forming cutting edges Compare die2 (sense 2)
7.
(electronics, mainly US & Canadian) a connection made at some point between the end terminals of an inductor, resistor, or some other component Usual Brit name tapping
8.
(stock exchange)
  1. an issue of a government security released slowly onto the market when its market price reaches a predetermined level
  2. (as modifier): tap stock, tap issue
9.
a concealed listening or recording device connected to a telephone or telegraph wire for the purpose of obtaining information secretly
10.
on tap
  1. (informal) ready for immediate use
  2. (of drinks) on draught
verb (transitive) taps, tapping, tapped
11.
to furnish with a tap
12.
to draw off with or as if with a tap
13.
to cut into (a tree) and draw off sap from it
14.
(Brit, informal) to ask or beg (someone) for money: he tapped me for a fiver
15.
  1. to connect a tap to (a telephone or telegraph wire)
  2. to listen in secret to (a telephone message, etc) by means of a tap
16.
to make a connection to (a pipe, drain, etc)
17.
to cut a female screw thread in (an object or material) by use of a tap
18.
to withdraw (fluid) from (a bodily cavity)
19.
(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
tappable, adjective
Word Origin
Old English tæppa; related to Old Norse tappi tap, Old High German zapfo

tap3

/tæp/
noun, verb
1.
a Scot word for top1
Word Origin and History for tapping

tap

v.

"strike lightly," c.1200, from Old French taper "tap, rap, strike," from a Gallo-Romance or Germanic source ultimately imitative of the sound of rapping. Meaning "to designate for some duty or for membership" is recorded from 1952, from notion of a tap on the shoulder. Related: Tapped; tapping.

"to supply with a tap," Old English tæppian, from source of tap (n.1). Meaning "to draw liquor with a tap" is from mid-15c. Extended sense of "make use of" is first recorded 1570s. Meaning "to listen in secretly" (1869), originally with reference to telegraph wires. Tapped out "broke" is 1940s slang, perhaps from the notion of having tapped all one's acquaintances for loans already (cf. British slang on the tap "begging, making requests for loans," 1932).

n.

"stopper, faucet," Old English tæppa, from Proto-Germanic *tappon (cf. Middle Dutch tappe, Dutch tap, Old High German zapfo, German zapfen). Originally a tapering cylindrical peg (hence taproot). Phrase on tap "ready for use" is recorded from late 15c.

"light blow or stroke," late 14c., from tap (v.1). Tap dancer first recorded 1927, from tap (n.) in the sense of "metal plate over the heel of a shoe" (1680s).

"device to listen in secretly on telephone calls," 1923, from tap (v.2) in the "listen secretly" sense.

tapping in Medicine

tap (tāp)
n.
The removal of fluid from a body cavity. v. tapped, tap·ping, taps

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

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

Slang definitions & phrases for tapping

tap

noun

: Tap, also tap-off and tip-off. A jump ball. The center jump which begins the game (1980s+ Basketball)

verb
  1. To rob; burgle: Only chicks this guy taps? (1879+)
  2. To select; designate: When she was tapped for the job, Reno was in her 15th year as State Attorney for Dade County (1952+)
Related Terms

heeltap


Related Abbreviations for tapping

TAP

  1. take a picture
  2. Technical Assistance Program
  3. Trans-Alaskan Pipeline
Idioms and Phrases with tapping

tap

see: on tap