idioms using “tap”

Tap into

To utilize, take advantage of

“We may not need to hire an outside designer; we can tap into the talent of our in-house design team.”

A tap on the shoulder

A gentle reminder

“He’s a great programmer, but sometimes he needs a tap on the shoulder because he daydreams a lot.”

On tap

Available for immediate use

“Today’s teens are used to entertainment on tap; they use the 5-minute wait for the train to play a 5-minute game on their mobile phones.”

Tapped out

To be out of money

“We need to monitor our department’s expenditures on a monthly basis. This year, we were tapped out by October.”

A tap dance

An action intended to rationalize or distract

“We asked for an explanation for the project’s six-month delay but we got a tap dance on how the delay will actually benefit us.”