Tap vs. Pat — What's the Difference?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Maham Liaqat — Updated on May 2, 2024
"Tap involves a light, quick touch, often to gain attention or make a brief contact, while pat is a gentle touch or slight stroke as a gesture of affection or comfort."
Difference Between Tap and Pat
Table of Contents
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Key Differences
A tap is typically a brief and light touch, commonly used to attract someone's attention or to indicate a specific point on a surface. Whereas, a pat involves a slightly longer and often affectionate touch, used to comfort or praise.
When tapping, the movement is quick and precise, typically made with the fingertips. On the other hand, patting usually involves the flat part of the hand and can be repetitive, conveying warmth and reassurance.
Taps are often used in scenarios requiring alertness, such as tapping someone on the shoulder to speak to them. Whereas pats are commonly seen in nurturing contexts, like patting someone on the back to soothe them.
In technology and devices, taps are used to describe quick, light presses on touchscreens. Whereas, the term "pat" has no technological implication and remains strictly in the realm of physical interaction.
The sound associated with a tap is generally lighter and sharper, indicative of its brief contact. In contrast, a pat, due to its softer and broader contact, typically produces a duller sound.
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Comparison Chart
Duration
Short, quick
Longer, gentle
Common Usage
Gaining attention, signaling
Comforting, reassuring
Method of Execution
With fingertips
With flat part of the hand
Context
Often formal or neutral
Generally affectionate or comforting
Associated Sound
Light and sharp
Dull and soft
Compare with Definitions
Tap
To make a light, sharp sound.
Raindrops tap against the window.
Pat
To touch someone or something gently and usually repeatedly with the hand flat.
She patted the dog's head as it lay on her lap.
Tap
A quick, light touch or hit with a small object or part of the body.
She gave a light tap on the door before entering.
Pat
To mold soft substances into a flat shape.
She patted the dough into a round shape for the pizza.
Tap
To lightly touch someone or something as a signal.
He tapped his watch to remind her of the time.
Pat
To apply lightly with pads of fingers or a tool.
She patted her face with a powder puff.
Tap
In technology, to touch a touchscreen briefly.
Tap the icon to open the app.
Pat
To walk or run with soft footsteps.
He patted down the hallway, trying not to wake anyone.
Tap
A small fixture for controlling the flow of liquid from a pipe.
He turned the tap to fill his glass with water.
Pat
A gentle stroke or piece of encouragement.
He gave the child a comforting pat on the back.
Tap
A device by which a flow of liquid or gas from a pipe or container can be controlled
She turned the cold tap on
The air-supply tap
Pat
To tap gently with the open hand or with something flat.
Tap
A device connected to a telephone for listening secretly to someone's conversations
Those taps produced hundreds of hours of recordings
Pat
To stroke lightly as a gesture of affection.
Tap
An instrument for cutting a threaded hole in a material.
Pat
To mold by tapping gently with the hands or a flat implement.
Tap
A taproom.
Pat
To run or walk with a tapping sound.
Tap
A quick light blow, or the sound of such a blow
There was a sharp tap at the door
Pat
To hit something or against something gently or lightly.
Tap
Tap dancing
A rhythm much used in tap
Pat
A light gentle stroke or tap.
Tap
A bugle call for lights to be put out in army quarters
The bugler played taps
Pat
The sound made by a light stroke or tap or by light footsteps.
Tap
Draw liquid through the tap or spout of (a cask, barrel, or other container)
Several barrels had been tapped to celebrate old victories
Pat
A small mass shaped by or as if by patting
A pat of butter.
Tap
Exploit or draw a supply from (a resource)
Clients from industry seeking to tap Edinburgh's resources of expertise
These magazines have tapped into a target market of consumers
Pat
Suitable; fitting
"Suggestions about her reasons for going are made indirectly, lightly and ambiguously.
No pat explanation is offered" (Janna Malamud Smith).
Tap
Connect a device to (a telephone) so that conversation can be listened to secretly
The telephones were tapped by the state security police
Pat
Fitting or satisfactory in a superficial or contrived way, especially in being trite or glib
"The dialogue is sometimes stilted and the ending too pat" (Leonard Malkin).
Tap
Cut a thread in (something) to accept a screw
On most vices, the metal jaws are drilled and tapped to accept screws
Pat
(Games) Being a poker hand that is strong enough to make drawing cards unlikely to improve it.
Tap
Strike with a quick light blow or blows
One of my staff tapped me on the shoulder
Pat
Readily or perfectly as a result of memorization or familiarization
They've got the system down pat. He has the lesson pat.
Tap
Approach (a sports player) unlawfully with a view to signing them to another club while they are still under contract with their current one.
Pat
The sound of a light slap or tap with a soft flat object, especially of a footstep
We heard a pat on the door.
Tap
Designate or select (someone) for a task or honour, especially membership of an organization or committee
He had been tapped earlier to serve in Costa Rica
Pat
A light tap or slap, especially with the hands
Give Mary a pat on the shoulder to get her attention.
Tap
To strike gently with a light blow or blows
I tapped you on the shoulder to get your attention.
Pat
A flattish lump of soft matter, especially butter or dung.
Tap
To give a light rap with
Tap a pencil.
Pat
To (gently) tap the flat of one's hand on a person or thing.
To show affection, he decided he would pat the boy on the head.
Tap
To produce with a succession of light blows
Tap out a rhythm.
Pat
To hit lightly and repeatedly with the flat of the hand to make smooth or flat
I patted the cookie dough into shape.
Tap
To select, as for membership in an organization; designate.
Pat
To stroke or fondle (an animal).
Do you want to pat the cat?
Tap
To repair (shoe heels or toes) by applying a thin layer of leather or a substitute material.
Pat
To gently rain.
Tap
To attach metal plates to (shoe toes or heels).
Pat
Exactly suitable, fitting, apt; timely, convenient, opportune, ready for the occasion; especially of things spoken.
A pat expression
Tap
To deliver a gentle, light blow or blows.
Pat
Trite, being superficially complete, lacking originality.
Tap
To walk making light clicks.
Pat
Opportunely, in a timely or suitable way.
Tap
To tap-dance.
Pat
Perfectly.
He has the routine down pat.
Tap
To furnish with a spigot or tap.
Pat
To strike gently with the fingers or hand; to stroke lightly; to tap; as, to pat a dog.
Gay pats my shoulder, and you vanish quite.
Tap
To pierce in order to draw off liquid
Tap a maple tree.
Pat
A light, quik blow or stroke with the fingers or hand; a tap.
Tap
To draw (liquid) from a vessel or container
Tap a new keg of beer.
Pat
A small mass, as of butter, shaped by pats.
It looked like a tessellated work of pats of butter.
Tap
(Medicine) To withdraw fluid from (a body cavity).
Pat
Exactly suitable; fit; convenient; timely.
Tap
To make a physical connection with or open outlets from
Tap a water main.
Pat
In a pat manner.
I foresaw then 't would come in pat hereafter.
Tap
To wiretap (a telephone or communications channel).
Pat
The sound made by a gentle blow
Tap
To establish an electric connection in (a power line), as to divert current secretly.
Pat
A light touch or stroke
Tap
To establish access to or a connection with
Tapped a new market for inexpensive books.
Pat
Pat or squeeze fondly or playfully, especially under the chin
Tap
To take advantage of; make use of
Tapped voter anger to win the election.
Pat
Hit lightly;
Pat him on the shoulder
Tap
To cut screw threads in (a collar, socket, or other fitting).
Pat
Having only superficial plausibility;
Glib promises
A slick commercial
Tap
(Informal) To ask (a person) for money.
Pat
Exactly suited to the occasion;
A pat reply
Tap
A gentle blow.
Pat
Completely or perfectly;
He has the lesson pat
Had the system down pat
Tap
The sound made by such a blow.
Tap
A thin layer of leather or a substitute applied to a worn-down shoe heel or toe.
Tap
A metal plate attached to the toe or heel of a shoe, as for tap-dancing.
Tap
Tap dance.
Tap
(Linguistics) See flap.
Tap
A valve and spout used to regulate delivery of a fluid at the end of a pipe.
Tap
A plug for a bunghole; a spigot.
Tap
Liquor drawn from a spigot.
Tap
Liquor of a particular brew, cask, or quality.
Tap
(Medicine) The removal of fluid from a body cavity
A spinal tap.
Tap
A tool for cutting an internal screw thread.
Tap
A makeshift terminal in an electric circuit.
Tap
A wiretap.
Tap
A tapering cylindrical pin or peg used to stop the vent in a cask.
Tap
A device used to dispense liquids.
We don't have bottled water; you'll have to get it from the tap.
Tap
Liquor drawn through a tap; hence, a certain kind or quality of liquor.
A liquor of the same tap
Tap
A place where liquor is drawn for drinking.
Tap
(mechanics) A device used to cut an internal screw thread. (External screw threads are cut with a die.)
We drilled a hole and then cut the threads with the proper tap to match the valve's thread.
Tap
A connection made to an electrical or fluid conductor without breaking it.
The system was barely keeping pressure due to all of the ill-advised taps along its length.
Tap
An interception of communication by authority.
Tap
A device used to listen in secretly on telephone calls.
Tap
A procedure that removes fluid from a body cavity.
Abdominal tap
Pleural tap
Spinal tap
Tap
(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.
Tap issue; a bond tap
Tap
A gentle or slight blow; a light rap; a pat.
When Steve felt a tap on his shoulder, he turned around.
Tap
(dance) tap dance
Tap
The act of touching a touch screen.
Tap
A piece of leather fastened upon the bottom of a boot or shoe in repairing or renewing the sole or heel.
Tap
(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.
Tap
(phonetics) A consonant sound made by a single muscle contraction, such as the sound [
Tap
An Indian malarial fever.
Tap
To furnish with taps.
If we tap the maple trees, we can get maple syrup!
Tap
To draw off liquid from a vessel.
He tapped a new barrel of beer.
Tap
To deplete, especially of a liquid via a tap; to tap out.
Tap
To exploit.
Businesses are trying to tap the youth market.
Tap
To place a listening or recording device on a telephone or wired connection.
They can't tap the phone without a warrant.
Tap
To intercept a communication without authority.
He was known to tap cable television.
Tap
(mechanical) To cut an internal screw thread.
Tap an M3 thread all the way through the hole.
Tap
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).
Tap
(informal) To cadge, borrow or beg.
I tried to tap a cigarette off him, but he wouldn't give me one.
Tap
To drain off fluid by paracentesis.
Tap
To advance someone for a post or job, or for membership of a club.
Trump interviewed Mueller for FBI job day before he was tapped for special counsel.
Tap
To strike lightly.
She tapped him on the shoulder to get his attention.
Tap
To touch one's finger, foot, or other body parts on a surface (usually) repeatedly.
He was so nervous he began to tap his fingers on the table.
She tapped her companion on the back to indicate that she was ready to go.
Lydia tapped Jim on the shoulder to get his attention.
Tap
To make a sharp noise.
The tree, swaying in the breeze, began to tap on the window pane.
Tap
(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.
Tap
To designate for some duty or for membership, as in 'a tap on the shoulder'.
Tap
(combat sports) To submit to an opponent by tapping one's hand repeatedly.
Tap
To force (an opponent) to submit.
Tap
To put a new sole or heel on.
To tap shoes
Tap
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.
Tap
To put a new sole or heel on; as, to tap shoes.
Tap
To strike a gentle blow.
Tap
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.
Tap
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.
Tap
To draw, or cause to flow, by piercing.
He has been tapping his liquors.
Tap
To form an internal screw in (anything) by means of a tool called a tap; as, to tap a nut, a pipe, or tubing.
Tap
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.
Tap
A gentle or slight blow; a light rap; a pat.
Tap
A piece of leather fastened upon the bottom of a boot or shoe in repairing or renewing the sole or heel.
Tap
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.
Tap
A hole or pipe through which liquor is drawn.
Tap
A plug or spile for stopping a hole pierced in a cask, or the like; a faucet.
Tap
Liquor drawn through a tap; hence, a certain kind or quality of liquor; as, a liquor of the same tap.
Tap
A place where liquor is drawn for drinking; a taproom; a bar.
Tap
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.
Tap
The sound made by a gentle blow
Tap
A faucet for drawing water from a pipe or cask
Tap
A gentle blow
Tap
A small metal plate that attaches to the toe or heel of a shoe (as in tap dancing)
Tap
A tool for cutting female (internal) screw threads
Tap
A plug for a bunghole in a cask
Tap
The act of tapping a telephone or telegraph line to get information
Tap
A light touch or stroke
Tap
Cut a female screw thread with a tap
Tap
Draw from or dip into to get something;
Tap one's memory
Tap a source of money
Tap
Strike lightly;
He tapped me on the shoulder
Tap
Draw from; make good use of;
We must exploit the resources we are given wisely
Tap
Tap a telephone or telegraph wire to get information;
The FBI was tapping the phone line of the suspected spy
Is this hotel room bugged?
Tap
Furnish with a tap or spout, so as to be able to draw liquid from it;
Tap a cask of wine
Tap
Make light, repeated taps on a surface;
He was tapping his fingers on the table impatiently
Tap
Walk with a tapping sound
Tap
Dance and make rhythmic clicking sounds by means of metal plates nailed to the sole of the dance shoes;
Glover tapdances better than anybody
Tap
Draw (liquor) from a tap;
Tap beer in a bar
Tap
Pierce in order to draw a liquid from;
Tap a maple tree for its syrup
Tap a keg of beer
Tap
Make a solicitation or entreaty for something; request urgently or persistently;
Henry IV solicited the Pope for a divorce
My neighbor keeps soliciting money for different charities
Common Curiosities
Is there a cultural significance to patting?
Yes, in many cultures, patting is seen as a way to offer comfort or congratulations, often used among close friends or family.
How do taps function in technology?
In technology, tapping refers to touching screens lightly and quickly to interact with digital interfaces.
What is the typical context for using a tap?
Taps are commonly used to signal or communicate in a non-verbal manner, often in situations requiring discretion or prompt attention.
What does a tap sound like?
A tap typically produces a light, sharp sound due to its quick and minimal contact.
Can tapping be considered impolite?
Tapping can be considered impolite or annoying in some situations, especially if it's repetitive and not requested, as it may come across as intrusive or demanding.
Can tap and pat be used interchangeably?
No, tap and pat are used in different contexts; tap is for brief contacts, while pat is for more comforting or affectionate gestures.
Where is the action of patting most commonly used?
Patting is most commonly used in social or familial settings to show affection or reassurance, such as patting someone's back or head gently.
What are some common phrases or idioms involving 'tap'?
Phrases like "tap into" (meaning to access or utilize a resource) and "on tap" (available or ready for use) incorporate the term with a metaphorical twist.
Are there specific types of taps for different situations?
Yes, different types of taps include a gentle tap to get someone's attention, a firmer tap to indicate urgency, and a rhythmic tap used in musical contexts.
Is a pat always considered a friendly gesture?
Generally, a pat is perceived as friendly and comforting, particularly when given on the back or shoulder, but context and cultural norms can influence how it's received.
What skills are necessary to effectively use taps in communication?
Effective tapping in communication requires timing, appropriate force, and an understanding of social cues to avoid being perceived as rude or intrusive.
How does one respond to an unwanted tap or pat?
Responses to unwanted taps or pats can range from verbally expressing discomfort to physically moving away, depending on the situation and the relationship between the individuals involved.
Is there an emotional component to patting?
Yes, patting often carries an emotional component, generally of comfort, care, or casual affection, making it a more emotionally charged gesture than tapping.
How does the frequency of taps or pats affect their meaning?
The frequency can significantly affect the meaning; repetitive taps can signal urgency or impatience, while repeated pats often enhance comfort or reassurance.
Can patting be used in professional settings?
While patting is less common in professional settings due to its personal nature, it may be appropriate in certain contexts, such as sports or team-building activities.
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
Co-written by
Maham Liaqat
