tapped

Tapped is the past tense and past participle of the verb tap. The core meanings involve accessing a source by piercing or opening, or creating access by cutting threads. Common examples include tapping a keg to draw beer, tapping a maple tree to collect sap, and tapping a hole to create internal threads for a screw or bolt (a tapped hole). It can also mean intercepting or monitoring a line, as in phone tapping or network tapping.

In everyday use, tapped can function as an adjective. A tapped keg is opened and ready for use, and someone can be described as tapped for a position when they are selected for it. In music, tapping refers to a technique where notes are produced by tapping the strings against the fretboard, often with both hands, on instruments such as guitar or bass. In resource contexts, to tap a resource means to draw on it, as with water, oil, or other natural resources.

Etymology and scope: the term originates from senses connected to striking, opening, or connecting to access something, and its meanings broadened over time to include machining, surveillance, and figurative uses.