Tap Word Meaning

Old English tæppa ‘peg for the vent-hole of a cask’, tæppian ‘provide (a cask) with a stopper’, of Germanic origin; related to Dutch tap and German Zapfen (nouns)

a device by which a flow of liquid or gas from a pipe or container can be controlled

device by which flow of liquid or gas from pipe or container can be controlled

• she turned the cold tap on
• the air-supply tap

a device connected to a telephone for listening secretly to someone's conversations

device connected to telephone for listening secretly to someone's conversations

• those taps produced hundreds of hours of recordings

an instrument for cutting a threaded hole in a material.

instrument for cutting threaded hole in material

a taproom.

taproom

draw liquid through the tap or spout of (a cask, barrel, or other container)

draw liquid through tap or spout of

• several barrels had been tapped to celebrate old victories

exploit or draw a supply from (a resource)

exploit or draw supply from

• clients from industry seeking to tap Edinburgh's resources of expertise
• these magazines have tapped into a target market of consumers

connect a device to (a telephone) so that conversation can be listened to secretly

connect device to telephone so that conversation can be listened to secretly

• the telephones were tapped by the state security police

cut a thread in (something) to accept a screw

cut thread in something to accept screw

• on most vices, the metal jaws are drilled and tapped to accept screws