different between tapster vs tapper

English

Etymology

• From Old English tæppestre (“barmaid”), equivalent to tap +? -ster.

Noun

tapster (plural tapsters)

1. (archaic) One whose business is to tap or draw ale or other liquor.

   Synonym: barkeep

   • 1478, Geoffrey Chaucer, The Canterbury Tales, Prologue, 240-42,^[1]

     He knew the tavernes wel in every toun / And everich hostiler and tappestere / Bet than a lazar or a beggestere;

   • 1602, William Shakespeare, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Act I, Scene 3,^[2]

     […] A tapster is a good trade: an old cloak makes a new jerkin; a withered serving-man a fresh tapster.

   • 1609, Thomas Dekker, Lanthorne and Candle-light, in The Guls Hornbook and The Belman of London, London: J.M. Dent & Sons, 1936, p. 265,^[3]

     There is a Twin-brother to this False-galloper, and hee cheats Inne-keepers onely, or their Tapsters, by learning first what Country-men they are, and of what kindred: and then bringing counterfeit letters of commendations from such an Uncle, or such a Coozen (wherein is requested, that the Bearer thereof may bee used kindely) […]

   • 1742, Henry Fielding, Joseph Andrews, Vol. I, Chapter XVI,^[4]

     About the second watch a general complaint of drought was made, both by the prisoner and his keepers. Among whom it was at last agreed that the constable should remain on duty, and the young fellow call up the tapster; in which disposition the latter apprehended not the least danger, as the constable was well armed, and could besides easily summon him back to his assistance, if the prisoner made the least attempt to gain his liberty.

   • 1878, John Payne, Introduction, in François Villon, Poems, translated by John Payne, New York: Boni & Liveright, c. 1918, p. 33,^[5]

     […] in a twinkling the accomplished sharper changes the pitchers and pretending to examine the contents, asks the tapster what kind of wine he has given him […]

Related terms

• tapper
• tapstress

Further reading

• “tapster”, in Lexico, Dictionary.com; Oxford University Press, 2019–present.
• tapster in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, G. & C. Merriam, 1913.

Anagrams

• PERSTAT, Prattes, p'taters, partest, patters, perstat, spatter, trap set, trapset

English

Etymology

tap +? -er.

Pronunciation

Noun

tapper (plural tappers)

1. One who makes a tapping noise.
   • 1836-37, Charles Dickens, The Pickwick Papers

     A low tap was heard at the room door. Mr. Bob Sawyer looked expressively at his friend, and bade the tapper come in […]

2. A tap-dancer.
3. A phone tapper or wiretapper.
4. (baseball slang) A weakly hit ground ball.
5. (telegraphy) In early wireless telegraphs, a device used to shake loose the filings of a coherer.
6. (Britain, dialect) The lesser spotted woodpecker.
7. (US) A tapster.

Derived terms

• toe tapper, toe-tapper
• wheeltapper, wheel-tapper

Anagrams

• Trappe

Danish

Noun

tapper

1. indefinite plural of tap

Verb

tapper

1. present of tappe

Middle English

Noun

tapper

1. Alternative form of taper

Swedish

Etymology

From Old Swedish dapper, from Middle Low German dapper, tapper. Further origin disputed. Possibly cognate with Old Norse dapr (“heavy”), German tapfer (“dauntless”) and English dapper.

Adjective

tapper (comparative tapprare, superlative tapprast)

1. brave

   Synonyms: modig, djärv, orädd

Declension

Derived terms

• tapperhet

References

• tapper in Svenska Akademiens ordlista (SAOL)
• tapper in Svensk ordbok (SO)
• tapper in Svenska Akademiens ordbok (SAOB)
• tapper in Elof Hellquist, Svensk etymologisk ordbok (1st ed., 1922)