A device for controlling the flow of liquid from a pipe; also a light, quick strike or knock on something.
From Middle English 'tappe,' from Old English 'tæppa,' possibly from Gaulish 'tappo.' The word has meant both the device and the action of striking for centuries.
The word 'tap' is a perfect example of how one word can have totally unrelated meanings—a water tap is a device, but 'tap dancing' is hitting your shoes rhythmically. Linguists call these 'homonyms,' and they make English confusing but also strangely poetic.
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