See Also:

tap(1) (iou)



tap noun1. [tap]

Orig., a peg or stopper for closing and opening the vent-hole in a cask, barrel, etc. Now also, a hollow or tubular structure through which liquid or gas from a pipe or vessel may be drawn, having a peg, valve, or other device for shutting off or regulating the flow; spec. one providing access to a supply of piped water for household etc. use. OE.
cold tap, hot tap, mixed tap, etc.
P. Fitzgerald Frank fetched him a glass of water from the tap at the sink. Conan Doyle By turning the outside tap the room could be flooded with gas.
b. Electrical Engineering. = TAPPING noun1 2. E20.
c. Stock Exchange. A government stock issued in large quantities over a period of time. Also tap stock. M20.
The liquid drawn from a particular tap; spec. a particular kind or quality of drink etc. colloq. E17.
An object shaped like a slender tapering cylinder; esp. a tap root. M17.
C. Marshall The tap of the oak will make its way downward, in a direct line.
Mechanics. A tool used for cutting the thread of an internal screw, consisting of a male screw of hardened steel, grooved lengthways to form cutting edges. L17.
A taproom, a tap-house. colloq. E18.
a. A device for listening secretly to or monitoring a telephone conversation. Cf. TAP verb1 6. E20.
b. An act or instance of using such a device; a recording made in this way. M20.
W. Garner He'd made a phone tap, and overheard a reference to an agent.
Phrases: on tap (a) ready to be drawn off by tap; (b) ready for immediate consumption or use (lit. & fig.); (c) spec. (Stock Exchange) (of a security) made readily available in large quantities. on the tap slang begging, asking for a loan.
Comb.: tap-bolt a threaded bolt for screwing into a part (as opp. to one that penetrates a part and receives a nut); tap-borer a tapering instrument for boring bung-holes or tap-holes; tap-changer Electrical Engineering an apparatus for accomplishing tap-changing; tap-changing Electrical Engineering the process of changing the connection to a transformer from one tap to another so as to vary the turns ratio and hence control the output voltage under a varying load; tap-cinder refuse produced in a puddling furnace; tap-hole (a) the hole in a cask, tub, etc., in which the tap is inserted; (b) a small opening in a furnace for molten metal etc. to run out; tap-hose (obsolete exc. dial.) a strainer placed over the tap-hole in a mash-tub, cask, etc., to prevent solid matter from passing into or through the tap; tap-house a place where beer drawn from the tap is sold in small quantities, esp. an alehouse; tap-lash (obsolete exc. dial.) (a) very weak or stale beer, dregs; (b) derog. a publican; tap-rivet noun & verb (a) noun = tap-bolt above; (b) verb trans. secure by tap-bolts; taproom a room in which alcoholic drinks are available on tap; tap stock: see sense 1c above; tap-tool = sense 4 above; tap water: drawn through a tap, esp. from a piped supply for household use; tap wrench: for turning a tap-tool.
taplet noun (Stock Exchange) a limited issue of tap stock; an issue of stock rather smaller than a tap; cf. TRANCHETTE: L20.