tap

American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

1. v. To strike gently with a light blow or blows: I tapped you on the shoulder to get your attention.
2. v. To give a light rap with: tap a pencil.
3. v. To produce with a succession of light blows: tap out a rhythm.
4. v. To select, as for membership in an organization; designate. See Synonyms at appoint.
5. v. To repair (shoe heels or toes) by applying a thin layer of leather or a substitute material.
6. v. To attach metal plates to (shoe toes or heels).
7. v. To deliver a gentle, light blow or blows.
8. v. To walk making light clicks.
9. n. A gentle blow.
10. n. The sound made by such a blow.
11. n. A thin layer of leather or a substitute applied to a worn-down shoe heel or toe.
12. n. A metal plate attached to the toe or heel of a shoe, as for tap-dancing.
13. n. Linguistics See flap.
14. n. A valve and spout used to regulate delivery of a fluid at the end of a pipe.
15. n. A plug for a bunghole; a spigot.
16. n. Liquor drawn from a spigot.
17. n. Liquor of a particular brew, cask, or quality.
18. n. Medicine The removal of fluid from a body cavity: a spinal tap.
19. n. A tool for cutting an internal screw thread.
20. n. A makeshift terminal in an electric circuit.
21. n. A wiretap.
22. v. To furnish with a spigot or tap.
23. v. To pierce in order to draw off liquid: tap a maple tree.
24. v. To draw (liquid) from a vessel or container: tap a new keg of beer.
25. v. Medicine To withdraw fluid from (a body cavity).
26. v. To make a physical connection with or open outlets from: tap a water main.
27. v. To wiretap (a telephone).
28. v. To establish an electric connection in (a power line), as to divert current secretly.
29. v. To establish access to or a connection with: tapped a new market for inexpensive books.
30. v. To take advantage of; make use of: tapped voter anger to win the election.
31. v. To cut screw threads in (a collar, socket, or other fitting).
32. v. Informal To ask (a person) for money.
33. tap into To establish a connection with; have access to: tapped into a new market for their products.
34. tap into To take advantage of: tapped into their enthusiasm to improve the school.
35. idiom. on tap Ready to be drawn; in a tapped cask: beer on tap.
36. idiom. on tap Available for immediate use; ready: extra personnel on tap.

Century Dictionary and Cyclopedia

1. n. A tanners' pit, usually sunk below the surface of the tan-yard, in which bark is extracted with water and the process of tanning is carried out. Also called leach or latch.
2. n. The hole bored and threaded in a street-main of a water-works system, so that the service-pipe of the customer may be connected thereto.
3. n. In electricity, a branch line which taps the main circuit so as to divert a portion of the current; a shunt.
4. To cut an internal screw-thread in with a screw-cutting tool, hob, or tap: as, to tap a nut or a hole.
5. In electricity, to divert a portion of (the current) from a circuit by means of a branch circuit or shunt; to make electrical connection with (a circuit) at any point.
6. n. A movable wooden plug or stopper used to close the opening through which liquor is drawn from a cask.
7. n. A faucet or cock through which liquor can be drawn from a cask. Compare spigot.
8. n. The liquor which is drawn through a tap: used to denote a particular quality, brew, or vintage.
9. n. An instrument employed for cutting the threads of internal screws or nuts. It consists simply of an external screw of the required size, formed of steel, and more or less tapered, parts of the threads being filed away in order to present a series of cutting edges. This, being screwed into the nut in the manner of an ordinary bolt, forms the thread required. Taps are usually made in sets of three. The first, called the entering tap or taper tap, generally tapers regularly throughout its length; the second, or middle tap, sometimes tapers, but is usually cylindrical, with two or three tapering threads at the end; the third, called the plug-tap or finishing tap, is always cylindrical, with the first two or three threads tapering off. See cut under screw-tap.—On tap.
10. To draw the tap or plug from (a cask) so as to let the liquor flow out; hence, to broach or pierce (a cask); in general, to pierce so as to let out a contained liquid.
11. Specifically— To pierce (a cask) for the purpose of testing or using the liquor.
12. To make an incision in (a tree or other plant) with a view to take some part of the sap: as, to tap the trunk of a maple-tree for the sap for making maple sugar.
13. To cut into, penetrate, or reach for the purpose of drawing something out: as, to tap telegraph-wires for the purpose of taking off a message.
14. To cause to run out by broaching a vessel; especially, to draw for the first time, as for examination, or when the time has come for using the contents.
15. To act as a drawer or tapster.
16. To strike lightly with something small; strike with a very slight blow; pat.
17. To strike lightly with; hit some object a slight blow with.
18. To peck or hack with the beak, as a woodpecker a tree, or a nuthatch a nut; break into or excavate with repeated blows.
19. To apply a thickness of leather upon, as a previously existing sole or heel. Compare heel-tap.
20. To strike a gentle blow; pat; rap.
21. n. A gentle blow; a slight blow, as with the fingers or a small thing.
22. n. pl. Milit., a signal on a drum or trumpet, sounded about a quarter of an hour after tattoo, at which all lights in the soldiers' quarters must be extinguished.
23. n. A piece of leather fastened upon the bottom of a boot or shoe in repairing or renewing the sole or heel.
24. n. A tap-house or tap-room; also, the room in a tavern where liquor is drawn and served to guests.
25. n. A Scotch form of top.
26. n. A very irritable person; a person easily inflamed, like a bundle of flax.
27. n. Same as tap-cinder.
28. n. In India, a malarial fever.
29. n. Same as tapadera.

Wiktionary

1. n. A tapering cylindrical pin or peg used to stop the vent in a cask; a spigot.
2. n. A device used to dispense liquids.
3. n. A device used to cut an internal screw thread. (External screw threads are cut with a die.)
4. n. A connection made to an electrical or fluid conductor without breaking it.
5. n. An interception of communication with authority.
6. v. To furnish with taps.
7. v. To draw off liquid from a vessel.
8. v. To intercept a communication without authority.
9. v. mechanical To cut an internal screw thread.
10. v. to knock slowly
11. v. To touch one's finger, foot, or other body parts on a surface (usually) repeatedly.
12. v. To make a sharp noise.
13. v. slang, transitive To have sexual intercourse with.
14. v. To submit to an opponent by tapping one's hand repeatedly.
15. v. transitive To force (an opponent) to submit.
16. n. A repeated touching of one's hands, foot or other body part.

GNU Webster's 1913

1. v. To strike with a slight or gentle blow; to touch gently; to rap lightly; to pat.
2. v. To put a new sole or heel on.
3. n. A gentle or slight blow; a light rap; a pat.
4. n. A piece of leather fastened upon the bottom of a boot or shoe in repairing or renewing the sole or heel.
5. n. (Mil.) A signal, by drum or trumpet, for extinguishing all lights in soldiers' quarters and retiring to bed, -- usually given about a quarter of an hour after tattoo.
6. v. To strike a gentle blow.
7. n. A hole or pipe through which liquor is drawn.
8. n. A plug or spile for stopping a hole pierced in a cask, or the like; a faucet.
9. n. colloq. Liquor drawn through a tap; hence, a certain kind or quality of liquor.
10. n. colloq. A place where liquor is drawn for drinking; a taproom; a bar.
11. n. (Mech.) A tool for forming an internal screw, as in a nut, consisting of a hardened steel male screw grooved longitudinally so as to have cutting edges.
12. v. To pierce so as to let out, or draw off, a fluid
13. v. Hence, to draw resources from (a reservoir) in any analogous way
14. v. To draw, or cause to flow, by piercing.
15. v. (Mech.) To form an internal screw in (anything) by means of a tool called a tap.
16. v. to connect a listening device to (a telephone or telegraph line) secretly, for the purpose of hearing private conversations; also, to obtain or record (information) by tapping; -- a technique used by law enforcement agencies investigating suspected criminals. In the United States it is illegal without a court order permitting it.

WordNet 3.0

1. n. a plug for a bunghole in a cask
2. n. a tool for cutting female (internal) screw threads
3. n. a small metal plate that attaches to the toe or heel of a shoe (as in tap dancing)
4. v. make light, repeated taps on a surface
5. v. cut a female screw thread with a tap
6. v. dance and make rhythmic clicking sounds by means of metal plates nailed to the sole of the dance shoes
7. n. a light touch or stroke
8. n. the sound made by a gentle blow
9. n. a gentle blow
10. v. strike lightly
11. v. draw from; make good use of
12. n. the act of tapping a telephone or telegraph line to get information
13. v. make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently
14. v. draw from or dip into to get something
15. v. tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information
16. n. a faucet for drawing water from a pipe or cask
17. v. draw (liquor) from a tap
18. v. pierce in order to draw a liquid from
19. v. furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it
20. v. walk with a tapping sound