ENGLISH
REFERENCE

tapping

n. · v.
US //ˈtæpɪŋ// UK //tˈæpɪŋ// tap·ping
  1. 1 a light hitting sound (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    the sound or action of hitting something lightly and repeatedly.

    the act or sound of making a series of light, rhythmic strikes against a surface.

    Example

    I heard a strange tapping sound on the window during the storm.

    Example

    The rhythmic tapping of the rain against the skylight provided a soothing background noise while she worked on her manuscript.
  2. 2 guitar technique (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Music

    a way of playing the guitar by hitting the strings against the neck with your fingers.

    a guitar-playing technique where the musician strikes the strings against the fingerboard with their fingertips to produce notes.

    Example

    The rock star used fast tapping to play a very difficult solo.

    Example

    The guitarist's mastery of two-handed tapping allowed him to execute complex polyphonic passages that would be impossible with traditional picking.
    • finger tapping
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  1. 3 extracting a resource (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical

    the act of taking or using a natural resource, like water or sap from a tree.

    the process of drawing out or exploiting a resource from a source.

    Example

    The tapping of maple trees for syrup usually happens in early spring.

    Example

    The sustainable tapping of rubber trees provides a steady income for the local community without destroying the rainforest canopy.
  2. 4 hitting lightly (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    the action of hitting something with quick, light blows.

    the present participle of tap; used to describe the ongoing action of light percussion.

    Example

    He was tapping his foot to the music while he waited for the bus.

    Example

    She sat at the back of the hall, nervously tapping her pen against her notebook as the speaker approached the podium.

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