[f. TAP sb.1 + HOUSE sb.1] A house where beer drawn from the tap is sold in small quantities; an ale-house; sometimes in connection with a brewery. Also, the tap-room of an inn. Also fig.
1500–1. in Swayne, Sarum Churchw. Acc., 55. In emendando hostium de le Taphouse, iiijd.
1591. Nashe, Prognostication, Wks. (Grosart), II. 153. That their Hoffes and tappe houses shall be more frequented, then the Parishe Churches.
1603. Shaks., Meas. for M., II. i. 219. I neuer come into any roome in a Tap-house, but I am drawne in.
1642. Milton, Apol Smect., vi. Wks. 1738, I. 120. To creep into every blind Tap-house that fears a Constable more than a Satyr.
1695. D. Leeds, Innocent Vind., 24. Another [preaching Quaker in Maryland] being carried out of a Tap-house drunk.
1764. Low Life, 35. Some Gentlemens Coachmen at the Tap-Houses of the Inns.
1820. J. P. Collier, Poetical Decameron, i. 27. Having a tempest in their heads, caused by a sea of drinke within, verily thought this tap-house on land a pinnace at sea.
1896. Daily News, 20 May, 5/6. ‘Tap-houses’ of breweries; licences to enable distilleries to sell two gallons of spirit, more, but not less, for home consumption.
attrib. c. 1639. R. Davenport, Surv. Sciences, Poems (1890), 328. That Tap-house trick of ffidling.
c. 1762. in Malcolm, Mann. of Cust. Lond. (1810), II. 234.
| With salt-boxes, solo’s and gallery folks squawling; | |
| The tap-house guests roaring, and mouth-pieces bawling. |
1883. S. C. Hall, Retrospect, I. 120. He got drunk like a tap-house sot.
