tap the admiral
In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.
Sense 1
Meaning · English
To steal some liquor from a cask that is in storage or transit.
Register: slang
Where it’s used:
Used
American English
Sources & notes
Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).
Sense 2
Meaning · English
to suck liquor from a cask by means of a straw, said to have been done with the rum-cask in which Lord Nelson’s body was brought to England, to such an extent as to leave the gallant Admiral dry.
Era: ca. 1874 (Victorian)
Where it’s used:
Origin
British & Irish English
Sources & notes
Historical definition reproduced from Hotten’s The Slang Dictionary (1874, public domain; Project Gutenberg #42108, retrieved 2026-07-31). Reflects the attitudes of its era.
Common questions
What does “tap the admiral” mean?
To steal some liquor from a cask that is in storage or transit.
Is “tap the admiral” formal or informal?
tap the admiral is generally slang.