| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language: Fourth Edition. 2000. |
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| tap1 |
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| PRONUNCIATION: |  t p |
| VERB: | Inflected forms: tapped, tap·ping, taps
| | TRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To strike gently with a light blow or blows: I tapped you on the shoulder to get your attention. 2. To give a light rap with: tap a pencil. 3. To produce with a succession of light blows: tap out a rhythm. 4. To select, as for membership in an organization; designate. See synonyms at appoint. 5a. To repair (shoe heels or toes) by applying a thin layer of leather or a substitute material. b. To attach metal plates to (shoe toes or heels). | | INTRANSITIVE VERB: | 1. To deliver a gentle, light blow or blows. 2. To walk making light clicks. | | NOUN: | 1a. A gentle blow. b. The sound made by such a blow. 2a. A thin layer of leather or a substitute applied to a worn-down shoe heel or toe. b. A metal plate attached to the toe or heel of a shoe, as for tap-dancing. 3. Linguistics See flap (sense 8). | | ETYMOLOGY: | Middle English tappen, possibly from Old French taper.
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| The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition. Copyright © 2000 by Houghton Mifflin Company. Published by the Houghton Mifflin Company. All rights reserved. |
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