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7 PHRASE If drinks are on tap , they come from a tap rather than from a bottle. □  Filtered water is always on tap, making it very convenient to use.

8 PHRASE If something is on tap , you can have as much of it as you want whenever you want. [INFORMAL ] □  The advantage of group holidays is company on tap but time alone if you want it.

tap|as /tæ pæs/ N‑PLURAL In Spain, tapas are small plates of food that are served with drinks or before a main meal.

ta p danc|er (tap dancers ) N‑COUNT A tap dancer is a dancer who does tap dancing.

ta p danc|ing also tap-dancing N‑UNCOUNT Tap dancing is a style of dancing in which the dancers wear special shoes with pieces of metal on the heels and toes. The shoes make loud sharp sounds as the dancers move their feet.

tape ◆◆◇ /te I p/ (tapes , taping , taped )

1 N‑UNCOUNT [oft on N ] Tape is a narrow plastic strip covered with a magnetic substance. It is used to record sounds, pictures, and computer information. □  Many students declined to be interviewed on tape.

2 N‑COUNT A tape is a cassette or spool with magnetic tape wound round it. □  Her brother once found an old tape of her music hidden in the back of a drawer.

3 VERB If you tape music, sounds, or television pictures, you record them so that you can watch or listen to them later. □ [V n] She has just taped an interview. □ [V ] He shouldn't be taping without the singer's permission. □ [V -ed] …taped evidence from prisoners.

4 N‑VAR A tape is a strip of cloth used to tie things together or to identify who a piece of clothing belongs to. □  The books were all tied up with tape.

5 N‑COUNT A tape is a ribbon that is stretched across the finishing line of a race. □  …the finishing tape.

6 N‑UNCOUNT Tape is a sticky strip of plastic used for sticking things together.

7 VERB If you tape one thing to another, you attach it using sticky tape. □ [V n + onto/to ] I taped the base of the feather onto the velvet. □ [be V -ed adj] The envelope has been tampered with and then taped shut again.

8 → see also magnetic tape , masking tape , red tape , sticky tape , videotape

ta pe meas|ure (tape measures ) N‑COUNT A tape measure is a strip of metal, plastic, or cloth which has numbers marked on it and is used for measuring.

ta|per /te I pə ^r / (tapers , tapering , tapered )

1 VERB If something tapers , or if you taper it, it becomes gradually thinner at one end. □ [V ] Unlike other trees, it doesn't taper very much. It stays fat all the way up. □ [V n] Taper the shape of your eyebrows towards the outer corners. [Also V prep] ●  ta|pered ADJ □  …the elegantly tapered legs of the dressing-table.

2 VERB If something tapers or is tapered , it gradually becomes reduced in amount, number, or size until it is greatly reduced. □ [V ] There are signs that inflation is tapering. □ [be V -ed] If you take this medicine continuously, withdrawal must be tapered. ● PHRASAL VERB Taper off means the same as taper . □ [V P ] Immigration is expected to taper off. □ [V P n] I suggested that we start to taper off the counseling sessions. [Also V n P ]

3 N‑COUNT A taper is a long, thin candle or a thin wooden strip that is used for lighting fires.

▸  taper off → see taper 2

ta pe re|cord|er (tape recorders ) also tape-recorder N‑COUNT A tape recorder is a machine used for recording and playing music, speech, or other sounds.

tap|es|try /tæ p I stri/ (tapestries )

1 N‑VAR A tapestry is a large piece of heavy cloth with a picture sewn on it using coloured threads.