tæppa

See also: täppa

Old English

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ˈtæp.pɑ/

Etymology 1

From Proto-West Germanic *tappō, from Proto-Germanic *tappô, whence also Old High German zapho, Old Norse tappi.

Normally prehistoric *æ was retracted to *a when followed by a geminate and back vowel. Reason for consistent failure of retraction in this word remains unknown. If the word is infrequently attested a commoner variant *tappa may well have existed, cf. hnappian alongside less common hnæppian.

Noun

tæppa m

1. tap, spigot
   • Þonne þū wīn habban wille, þonne dō þū mid þīnum twām fingrum swelċe ðū tæppan of tunnan ontēon wille. ― If you want wine, then make a gesture with two fingers like you're trying to pull the bung from a cask. (Techm. ii. 120, 10.)

Declension

Weak:

	singular	plural
nominative	tæppa	tæppan
accusative	tæppan	tæppan
genitive	tæppan	tæppena
dative	tæppan	tæppum

Etymology 2

Unknown. Related to Old Frisian tapia (“to pluck”), Middle Low German teppen (“to pluck, pick”). Possibly from Proto-Germanic *tappaz; see *tuppaz (“tuft”).

Alternative forms

• tæppe

Noun

tæppa m

1. band, ribbon, tape

Declension

Weak:

	singular	plural
nominative	tæppa	tæppan
accusative	tæppan	tæppan
genitive	tæppan	tæppena
dative	tæppan	tæppum

Synonyms

• tæppe

Descendants

• Middle English: tappe, tape
  • English: tape
  • Scots: tape, taip