Tap vs. Pat — What's the Difference?

A device by which a flow of liquid or gas from a pipe or container can be controlled

To tap gently with the open hand or with something flat.

A device connected to a telephone for listening secretly to someone's conversations

To stroke lightly as a gesture of affection.

An instrument for cutting a threaded hole in a material.

To mold by tapping gently with the hands or a flat implement.

A taproom.

To run or walk with a tapping sound.

A quick light blow, or the sound of such a blow

To hit something or against something gently or lightly.

Tap dancing

A light gentle stroke or tap.

A bugle call for lights to be put out in army quarters

The sound made by a light stroke or tap or by light footsteps.

Draw liquid through the tap or spout of (a cask, barrel, or other container)

A small mass shaped by or as if by patting

Exploit or draw a supply from (a resource)

Suitable; fitting

Connect a device to (a telephone) so that conversation can be listened to secretly

Fitting or satisfactory in a superficial or contrived way, especially in being trite or glib

Cut a thread in (something) to accept a screw

(Games) Being a poker hand that is strong enough to make drawing cards unlikely to improve it.

Strike with a quick light blow or blows

Readily or perfectly as a result of memorization or familiarization

Approach (a sports player) unlawfully with a view to signing them to another club while they are still under contract with their current one.

The sound of a light slap or tap with a soft flat object, especially of a footstep

Designate or select (someone) for a task or honour, especially membership of an organization or committee

A light tap or slap, especially with the hands

To strike gently with a light blow or blows

A flattish lump of soft matter, especially butter or dung.

To give a light rap with

To (gently) tap the flat of one's hand on a person or thing.

To produce with a succession of light blows

To hit lightly and repeatedly with the flat of the hand to make smooth or flat

To select, as for membership in an organization; designate.

To stroke or fondle (an animal).

To repair (shoe heels or toes) by applying a thin layer of leather or a substitute material.

To gently rain.

To attach metal plates to (shoe toes or heels).

Exactly suitable, fitting, apt; timely, convenient, opportune, ready for the occasion; especially of things spoken.

To deliver a gentle, light blow or blows.

Trite, being superficially complete, lacking originality.

To walk making light clicks.

Opportunely, in a timely or suitable way.

To tap-dance.

Perfectly.

To furnish with a spigot or tap.

To strike gently with the fingers or hand; to stroke lightly; to tap; as, to pat a dog.

To pierce in order to draw off liquid

A light, quik blow or stroke with the fingers or hand; a tap.

To draw (liquid) from a vessel or container

A small mass, as of butter, shaped by pats.

(Medicine) To withdraw fluid from (a body cavity).

Exactly suitable; fit; convenient; timely.

To make a physical connection with or open outlets from

In a pat manner.

To wiretap (a telephone or communications channel).

The sound made by a gentle blow

To establish an electric connection in (a power line), as to divert current secretly.

A light touch or stroke

To establish access to or a connection with

Pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin

To take advantage of; make use of

Hit lightly;

To cut screw threads in (a collar, socket, or other fitting).

Having only superficial plausibility;

(Informal) To ask (a person) for money.

Exactly suited to the occasion;

A gentle blow.

Completely or perfectly;

The sound made by such a blow.

A thin layer of leather or a substitute applied to a worn-down shoe heel or toe.

A metal plate attached to the toe or heel of a shoe, as for tap-dancing.

Tap dance.

(Linguistics) See flap.

A valve and spout used to regulate delivery of a fluid at the end of a pipe.

A plug for a bunghole; a spigot.

Liquor drawn from a spigot.

Liquor of a particular brew, cask, or quality.

(Medicine) The removal of fluid from a body cavity

A tool for cutting an internal screw thread.

A makeshift terminal in an electric circuit.

A wiretap.

A tapering cylindrical pin or peg used to stop the vent in a cask.

A device used to dispense liquids.

Liquor drawn through a tap; hence, a certain kind or quality of liquor.

A place where liquor is drawn for drinking.

(mechanics) A device used to cut an internal screw thread. (External screw threads are cut with a die.)

A connection made to an electrical or fluid conductor without breaking it.

An interception of communication by authority.

A device used to listen in secretly on telephone calls.

A procedure that removes fluid from a body cavity.

(finance) The situation where a borrowing government authority issues bonds over a period of time, usually at a fixed price, with volumes sold on a particular day dependent on market conditions.

A gentle or slight blow; a light rap; a pat.

(dance) tap dance

The act of touching a touch screen.

A piece of leather fastened upon the bottom of a boot or shoe in repairing or renewing the sole or heel.

(military) A signal, by drum or trumpet, for extinguishing all lights in soldiers' quarters and retiring to bed; usually given about a quarter of an hour after tattoo.

(phonetics) A consonant sound made by a single muscle contraction, such as the sound [ɾ] in the standard American English pronunciation of body.

An Indian malarial fever.

To furnish with taps.

To draw off liquid from a vessel.

To deplete, especially of a liquid via a tap; to tap out.

To exploit.

To place a listening or recording device on a telephone or wired connection.

To intercept a communication without authority.

(mechanical) To cut an internal screw thread.

To turn or flip a card or playing piece to remind players that it has already been used that turn (by analogy to "tapping," in the sense of drawing on to the point of temporary exhaustion, the resources or abilities represented by the card).

(informal) To cadge, borrow or beg.

To drain off fluid by paracentesis.

To advance someone for a post or job, or for membership of a club.

To strike lightly.

To touch one's finger, foot, or other body parts on a surface (usually) repeatedly.

To make a sharp noise.

(graphical user interface) To operate an electronic device (e.g. a mobile phone) by tapping a specific place on its (capacitive or other) touch screen.

To designate for some duty or for membership, as in 'a tap on the shoulder'.

To have sexual intercourse with.

(combat sports) To submit to an opponent by tapping one's hand repeatedly.

To force (an opponent) to submit.

To put a new sole or heel on.

To strike with a slight or gentle blow; to touch gently; to rap lightly; to pat; as, to tap one with the hand or a cane.

To put a new sole or heel on; as, to tap shoes.

To strike a gentle blow.

To pierce so as to let out, or draw off, a fluid; as, to tap a cask, a tree, a tumor, a keg of beer, etc.

Hence, to draw resources from (a reservoir) in any analogous way; as, to tap someone's knowledge of the Unix system; to tap the treasury.

To draw, or cause to flow, by piercing.

To form an internal screw in (anything) by means of a tool called a tap; as, to tap a nut, a pipe, or tubing.

To connect a listening device to (a telephone or telegraph line) secretly, for the purpose of hearing private conversations; also, to obtain or record (information) by tapping; - a technique used by law enforcement agencies investigating suspected criminals. In the United States it is illegal without a court order permitting it.

A gentle or slight blow; a light rap; a pat.

A piece of leather fastened upon the bottom of a boot or shoe in repairing or renewing the sole or heel.

A signal, by drum or trumpet, for extinguishing all lights in soldiers' quarters and retiring to bed, - usually given about a quarter of an hour after tattoo.

A hole or pipe through which liquor is drawn.

A plug or spile for stopping a hole pierced in a cask, or the like; a faucet.

Liquor drawn through a tap; hence, a certain kind or quality of liquor; as, a liquor of the same tap.

A place where liquor is drawn for drinking; a taproom; a bar.

A tool for forming an internal screw, as in a nut, consisting of a hardened steel male screw grooved longitudinally so as to have cutting edges.

The sound made by a gentle blow

A faucet for drawing water from a pipe or cask

A gentle blow

A small metal plate that attaches to the toe or heel of a shoe (as in tap dancing)

A tool for cutting female (internal) screw threads

A plug for a bunghole in a cask

The act of tapping a telephone or telegraph line to get information

A light touch or stroke

Cut a female screw thread with a tap

Draw from or dip into to get something;

Strike lightly;

Draw from; make good use of;

Tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information;

Furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it;

Make light, repeated taps on a surface;

Walk with a tapping sound

Dance and make rhythmic clicking sounds by means of metal plates nailed to the sole of the dance shoes;

Draw (liquor) from a tap;

Pierce in order to draw a liquid from;

Make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently;