Speakur

Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

taps

/tæps/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 3.56 in modern English

Syllables
taps
IPA
/tæps/
6
Scrabble Score
4
Letters
1
Syllables
4
Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

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; the signal is sometimes also given during the funeral of a soldier.

noun

plural of tap

verb

third-person singular simple present indicative of tap

noun

plural of TAP

name

A bugle call played by the United States Armed Forces at dusk, during flag ceremonies, and at military funerals.

name

Acronym of Trans-Alaska Pipeline System.

Etymology

From tap (noun) + -s. Noun 1 sense 1 (“signal for extinguishing all lights in soldiers’ quarters and retiring to bed”) is from the fact that the signal was originally made using a drum.

Word Breakdown

Regional Pronunciation

  • American English: /tæps/
  • British English: /tæps/

Phrases

evening gun morning gun taps aff

Frequently Paired Words

evening gun morning gun reveille tattoo taps aff last post

Synonyms

lights-out

Rhymes With

perhaps maps apps collapse caps gaps traps laps snaps wraps lapse straps

Questions

How do you pronounce taps?
The recorded pronunciation is /tæps/.
What does taps mean?
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; the signal is sometimes also given during the funeral of a soldier.
Where does taps come from?
From tap (noun) + -s. Noun 1 sense 1 (“signal for extinguishing all lights in soldiers’ quarters and retiring to bed”) is from the fact that the signal was originally made using a drum.

How to pronounce taps

  1. Open the pronunciation page — Open the Speakur entry for “taps”.
  2. Read the phonetic spelling — Read the IPA spelling (/tæps/) so you know which sounds to aim for.
  3. Play the audio — Click Play to hear reference audio for “taps”.
  4. Repeat and practice — Say “taps” aloud, matching stress and vowels until it feels natural.