tap

A device you open or close to control liquid flowing from a pipe or container.

• Please turn off the tap.
• The kitchen tap is leaking again.
• We filled our bottles from the taps outside.

Similar words: faucet

Common phrases: water tap, turn the tap, tap water

A gentle hit or touch, or the short sound it makes.

• There was a tap on the window.
• She gave his arm a gentle tap.
• Three quick taps at the door woke me.

How to use it: a tap on something (I felt a tap on my shoulder.)

Similar words: pat, knock

Common phrases: gentle tap, tap on something, light tap

A tool that cuts grooves inside a hole so a screw can fit into it.

• Use a tap to cut the thread.
• He selected a smaller tap for the hole.
• These taps can cut threads in steel.

Common phrases: thread tap, tap and die, use a tap

A connection that takes electricity or liquid from a line without cutting the main line.

• The electrician added a tap to the cable.
• Each tap supplies a separate branch of the system.
• Too many taps reduced the pressure in the main pipe.

Similar words: branch connection

Common phrases: electrical tap, pipe tap, tap connection

A pointed plug used to open or close a hole in a container.

• He pulled the tap from the barrel.
• A wooden tap sealed the hole in the cask.
• The old container was missing its tap.

Similar words: plug, stopper

Common phrases: wooden tap, cask tap

Drink taken from a barrel, or a particular kind or quality of drink or other thing.

• The inn served an excellent tap of ale.
• Their beer was of the same tap as ours.
• His latest jokes were of a different tap.

Similar words: kind, sort

Common phrases: same tap, different tap, excellent tap

To touch or hit something gently, sometimes several times.

• Tap the screen to open the picture.
• She tapped her fingers on the desk.
• Someone was tapping me on the shoulder.

How to use it: tap on something (She tapped on the window.); tap someone on something (He tapped me on the shoulder.)

Similar words: pat, touch

Common phrases: tap the screen, tap someone’s shoulder, tap on something

To get and use something available from a source.

• We can tap local knowledge for ideas.
• The project tapped reserves of underground water.
• How can small businesses tap into these funds?

How to use it: tap into something (The company hopes to tap into a new market.)

Similar words: draw on, access

Common phrases: tap resources, tap into something, tap someone’s expertise