Word Pronunciation & Dictionary

toe-tapper

/ˈtoʊˌtæpɚ/

Word Rarity Rare

Frequency: Zipf frequency 2.67 in modern English

Syllables: toe-tap-per
IPA: /ˈtoʊˌtæpɚ/

13

Scrabble Score

9

Letters

2

Syllables

6

Unique Chars

Meaning

noun

A piece of music with a prominent beat, to which one feels compelled to tap their toes.

noun

A joke which is found to be pleasingly humorous.

noun

A homosexual who is closeted regarding sexual orientation, especially one who solicits gay sex.

Derogatory

Example Sentences

""I'd Be Lost Without You" seems somewhat out of place from a vocal viewpoint — Lewis's slightly reedy middle soprano is very expressive and absolutely true, but doesn't have enough dark body to fully deal with the torchy melody. It fares better in the ballads and toe-tappers that comprise the rest of the album."
"[Emily] Blunt, for one, knows exactly what she's doing. She glides through her scenes even when she's not literally aloft, offsetting her sterner side with prim but genuine affection in her dialogue, then grinning her way through the energetic toe-tappers."
"The US Department of Justice has a handy guide for police to focus on when attempting to bust the next toe tapper or washroom wanker."
"Any bets he is an accomplished toe-tapper in the synagogue bathrooms?"
"It was nice to use the public restroom at the Hillary event. I didn't have to worry about a republican toe-tapper being in the next stall."
"Yeah, just like George "Mr. Macaca" Allen destroyed Jim Webb in '06. This race is still quite a way aways, and nothing gets Northern Virginia liberals out to the polls in full force faster than GOP nutjobs still peddling phony "cultural" issues and supposed "family values". This guy McDonnel, in fact, sounds like a bonafide bathroom stall toe-tapper."

Etymology

From toe + tapper. The second sense (“a joke”) derives from the practice of tapping one’s toes to indicate pleasure; compare toe-tappingly. The third sense (“a closeted homosexual, especially one who solicits gay sex”) derives from the Larry Craig scandal in 2007 in which then-Senator Larry Craig was arrested after tapping his right foot in a men’s restroom, an action seen as covert solicitation of sex.

Regional Pronunciation

American English: /ˈtoʊˌtæpɚ/
British English: /ˈtəʊˌtæpə/

Usage

Derogatory

Inflected Forms

toe-tappers (plural)

Phrases

toe-tap toe-tapping toe-tappingly knee slapper pillow-biter

Frequently Paired Words

toe-tap toe-tapping toe-tappingly knee slapper pillow-biter

Questions

How do you pronounce toe-tapper?: The recorded pronunciation is /ˈtoʊˌtæpɚ/.
What does toe-tapper mean?: A piece of music with a prominent beat, to which one feels compelled to tap their toes.
Where does toe-tapper come from?: From toe + tapper. The second sense (“a joke”) derives from the practice of tapping one’s toes to indicate pleasure; compare toe-tappingly. The third sense (“a closeted homosexual, especially one who solicits gay sex”) derives from the Larry Craig scandal in 2007 in which then-Senator Larry Craig was arrested after tapping his right foot in a men’s restroom, an action seen as covert solicitation of sex.

How to pronounce toe-tapper

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