tap
Third Person
taps
Present Participle
tapping
Past Tense
tapped
Past Participle
tapped
1
to hit someone or something gently, often with a few quick light blows
transitive
- The drummer taps the snare drum softly during the ballad.
- The carpenter is tapping the wood to check for its quality.
- The boxer is tapping his opponent's gloves, signaling sportsmanship.
- She has tapped the surface to find hidden compartments in the antique desk.
Synonyms:
2
to make use of or access a resource or source of information
transitive
- I'll tap into my network of contacts to get more information about job opportunities in the industry.
- She decided to tap into her colleague's expertise in graphic design to enhance the visual appeal of the project.
- As a writer, he would often tap into personal experiences to find inspiration for his novels.
- The new software allows users to tap into a vast database of information with just a few clicks.
- Successful businesses continuously tap into market trends to stay ahead of the competition.
Synonyms:
3
to secretly intercept or monitor communication on a telephone or telegraph wire to obtain information
transitive
- The detective had to tap the suspect's phone to gather evidence of illegal activities.
- During the investigation, intelligence agencies were suspected of tapping diplomatic communications.
- Wiretapping is illegal without proper authorization, as it involves tapping private phones.
- Law enforcement obtained a warrant to tap the phones of suspected drug traffickers.
4
to ask for or obtain something by begging or borrowing
- Feeling hungry, he decided to tap his roommate for a quick meal before heading out.
- Sarah always knows how to tap her friends for good book recommendations.
- Desperate for a place to stay, he had to tap a friend for a couch to crash on for the night.
- In college, students often tap classmates for notes or study materials when preparing for exams.
5
to extract sap, often from maple trees, by making a hole in the trunk
transitive
- The farmer carefully tapped the maple tree to begin the process of production of maple products.
- Some farmers tap birch trees to extract birch sap.
- To tap a tree, a small hole is drilled into the trunk, and a spout or tap is inserted to allow the sap to flow into a collection container.
- Tapping trees requires careful timing and knowledge of the specific conditions.
6
to walk with a series of light, rhythmic, tapping sounds, usually produced by shoes with hard soles or heels hitting the ground
- The old house creaked as the real estate agent tapped from room to room.
- With her high heels, she tapped across the polished marble floor of the grand lobby.
- The little girl excitedly tapped across the hardwood floor.
- Walking through the art gallery, visitors tapped lightly on the museum's marble floors.
7
to lightly strike or hit a surface repeatedly, producing a series of short, sharp sounds
transitive
- The drummer began to tap the drumsticks on the snare, setting the beat for the rest of the band.
- To get the cat's attention, she started to tap her fingers on the tabletop.
- Children often tap their pencils on the desk absentmindedly.