When can I use the expression "tap out"?
Native speaker’s answer
Rebecca
"Tap out" or "tapping out" refers to a participant in a fight or boxing match tapping the floor to signal that they are submitting to the other fighter when the other fighter is holding them against the ground. "Tap out" is not a common term used in conversational English, however it could be said to tell someone to submit during a fight, or describe someone doing the action of "tapping out" during a fight.