TAPE


Meaning of TAPE in English

I. ˈtāp noun

( -s )

Etymology: Middle English tape, tappe, from Old English tæppe narrow strip of cloth; probably akin to Old Frisian tapia to tug, unravel, pluck, Middle Low German tappen — more at tap (touch)

1.

a. : a narrow fabric of natural or artificial fibers usually woven singly in plain or twill weaves especially in widths of less than 8 inches and used especially for string, binding especially on clothing and carpets, wicks, and with or without special finishes for medical and industrial purposes

b. : any of the woven cotton bands sewn across the backbone of a book and attached to the covers

c. : the narrow belt that turns each of the spindles on a ring spinner

d. : one of the endless flexible fabric bands on which sheets travel (as in the delivery of some cylinder presses and in some folding machines)

e. : adhesive tape

f. : friction tape

2. : red tape

3. : a piece of light string stretched breast-high above the finishing line to aid the judges in determining the winner of a race

4. : a narrow limp or flexible strip or band (as of paper, plastic, or metal): as

a. : ticker tape

b. : masking tape

c. : magnetic tape

record a program on tape

5.

a. : a graduated steel ribbon used by surveyors in place of a chain

b. : tape measure

c. : a specially calibrated flexible rule for measuring the circumference and diameter of railroad-car wheels

6.

[by shortening]

: tapeworm

7. : tape recording

II. verb

( -ed/-ing/-s )

transitive verb

1. : to furnish with tape : fasten, tie, bind, cover, or support with tape (as adhesive tape or friction tape)

the sprain cases had all been taped up — Earle Birney

as

a. : to bind or finish (an edge) with tape

tape the seams of a leather jacket

b. : to join the sections of (a book) with tape

2.

a. : to measure with a tape

b. : girth 3

3. : to widen (a pelt) by leathering — compare let out

4. chiefly Britain : to size up : figure out : classify

you had this world all taped — Ernest Hemingway

afraid you've got all this tapea out wrong — Agatha Christie

5. : to record on magnetic tape

tape a TV program

a taped interview

intransitive verb

1. : measure

2. : to stick threads together during the slashing operation in textile manufacture

Webster's New International English Dictionary.      Новый международный словарь английского языка Webster.