tap1

noun

• 1a device by which a flow of liquid or gas from a pipe or container can be controlled.
• a device connected to a telephone used for listening secretly to someone’s conversations.
• an act of listening secretly to someone’s telephone conversation.
• (also tapping) an electrical connection made to some point between the end terminals of a transformer coil or other component.

• 2an instrument for cutting a threaded hole in a material.

• 3British a taproom.

verb (taps, tapping, tapped)

• 1draw liquid through the tap or spout of (a cask, barrel, or other container):bragging of tests they had aced and kegs they had tapped
• draw (liquid) from a cask, barrel, or other container:the butlers were tapping new ale
• connect a device to (a telephone) so that conversation can be listened to secretly:the telephones were tapped by the state security police
• informal obtain money or information from (someone):he considered whom he could tap for information
• exploit or draw a supply from (a resource):clients from industry seeking to tap Philadelphia’s resources of expertise [no object]:these magazines have tapped into a target market of consumers
• draw sap from (a tree) by cutting into it.

• 2cut a thread in (something) to accept a screw.