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