[Elamur Dictionary](https://md.dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/) · [this page in HTML](https://dictionary.elamur.ai/free/en/english/tapping/)

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# tapping

verb form (tap, taps, tapped, tapping); noun (a tapping)

«tapping» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. Tapping is hitting something lightly and quickly, often again and again, like tapping on a window. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#m1)
2. Tapping is touching a phone or tablet screen lightly to choose something. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#m2)
3. Tapping is using a supply of something, like tapping a tree for sap or tapping water. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#m3)
4. Phone tapping is secretly listening to someone's phone calls. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#m4)

### In the lessons

In music lessons, children keep the beat by tapping their feet or hands. In computing, tapping the screen opens apps. In stories, a tapping at the window or door builds suspense. In maths, «tap out» a rhythm to count beats. Phrases: «tapping your feet», «a tapping sound», «tap on the shoulder».

### Examples

- Someone was tapping on the window. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#x1)
- She kept tapping her pencil on the desk. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#x2)
- We were tapping our feet to the music. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#x3)
- Tapping the icon opens the game. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#x4)
- The woodpecker was tapping on the tree. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#x5)
- He was tapping me on the shoulder to get my attention. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#x6)
- Farmers in Canada collect maple syrup by tapping trees. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#x7)
- Stop tapping; it's distracting. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#x8)
- It was a soft cautious tapping on the door of his tree. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/#x9)

### Note

The -ing form of «tap»: double the p (tap → tapped, tapping). Do not confuse with «taping» (sticking with tape), which has one p and a long a. «Tap» is also a noun: a water tap (UK, Australia, NZ, Ireland) is a «faucet» in the USA.

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «tapping» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/T/tapping/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«tapping» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/tapping.html) on Mova free.