Meaning & use

tap

verb·Everyday

To strike something lightly and quickly, often to get attention or make a soft sound.

See it in a sentence

She tapped her pen on the desk while waiting for the meeting to start.

He tapped his colleague on the shoulder to point out the mistake on the whiteboard.

A note on using this word

Also a noun for a fixture that controls water flow, called a "faucet" in American usage.

Words with a similar meaning

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Another way to use it

2. noun

A device with a valve that controls the flow of liquid or gas from a pipe.

She turned off the tap tightly so the kitchen sink would not keep dripping.

Make it your own

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