tap up

verb — 2 senses

verb

UK To make a specific approach to a person considered to be suitable for a professional position.

In earlier years, the intelligence services would often recruit agents by tapping them up.

Hobbies, Lifestyle, Sports UK To make an approach to a player, under contract to another club, in order to attempt to negotiate a transfer.

Entry derived from the Wiktionary, under licence CC BY-SA 4.0 — list of authors.