n.
- light, flexible material in a narrow strip, used to hold, fasten, or mark off something.
▸
(also adhesive tape)
a strip of paper or plastic coated with adhesive, used to stick things together.
- long, narrow material with magnetic properties, used for recording sound, pictures, or computer data.
▸a cassette or reel containing such material.
- a strip of material stretched across the finishing line of a race, to be broken by the winner.
- a tape measure.
v.
- record (sound or pictures) on audio or video tape.
- fasten, attach, or mark off with tape.
Etymology
OE tæppa, tæppe; perh. rel. to Mid. Low Ger. teppen ‘pluck, tear’.