tape

[ teyp ]

noun

1. a strip of cloth, paper, or plastic with an adhesive surface, used for sealing, binding, or attaching items together; adhesive tape or masking tape.
2. a long, narrow strip of fabric used for tying garments, binding seams or carpets, etc.
3. a long, narrow strip of paper, metal, etc.
4. tape measure.
5. magnetic tape.
6. a magnetic tape carrying recorded sound or images:

   I made a digital copy of that tape of Grandpa playing the violin.

7. a string stretched across the finishing line in a race and broken by the winning contestant on crossing the line.
8. ticker tape.

verb (used with object)

, taped, tap·ing.

1. to furnish with a tape or tapes.
2. to tie up, bind, or attach with tape.
3. to measure with or as if with a tape measure.
4. to record or prerecord on magnetic tape.

verb (used without object)

, taped, tap·ing.

1. to record something on magnetic tape.

tape

/ teɪp /

noun

1. a long thin strip, made of cotton, linen, etc, used for binding, fastening, etc
2. any long narrow strip of cellulose, paper, metal, etc, having similar uses
3. a string stretched across the track at the end of a race course
4. slang.
   military another word for stripe 1
5. See magnetic tape ticker tape paper tape tape recording

verb

1. Alsotape-record also intr to record (speech, music, etc)
2. to furnish with tapes
3. to bind, measure, secure, or wrap with tape
4. informal.
   usually passive to take stock of (a person or situation); sum up

   he's got the job taped

Derived Forms

• ˈtaper, noun
• ˈtapeˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• tapeless adjective
• tapelike adjective
• pre·tape verb (used with object) pretaped pretaping
• re·tape verb (used with object) retaped retaping
• un·taped adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of tape¹

First recorded before 1000; Middle English; unexplained variant of tappe, Old English tæppe “strip (of cloth),” literally, “part torn off”; akin to Middle Low German teppen “to tear, pluck”

Word History and Origins

Origin of tape¹

Old English tæppe; related to Old Frisian tapia to pull, Middle Dutch tapen to tear

Idioms and Phrases

see red tape .

Example Sentences

When Stracke had a medical emergency during last season’s reunion, Beauvais left the taping to be with her friend at the hospital until she was discharged, six hours later, at midnight.

From Los Angeles Times

"This approach will ensure a smooth and efficient distribution of payments, without the additional burden of application forms or red tape," he said.

From BBC

The newspaper added: “A growing contingent of right-wing tech figures argue that Trump can usher in a new era of American dominance by removing red tape.”

From Salon

As Secretary of Energy, Chris will be a key leader, driving innovation, cutting red tape, and ushering in a new Golden Age of American Prosperity and Global Peace.”

From BBC

Boxer’s staff began taping together the papers listing the administration’s problematic moves on the environment.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• line
• rope