English Explanatory Dictionary

red tape

English dictionary entry

Meanings

noun
  1. The binding tape once used for holding important documents together.
  2. Time-consuming regulations or bureaucratic procedures.

Pronunciation

En-au-red tape.ogg

Word forms

red tape

Etymology

Alluding to the former practice of binding government documents in red-colored tape. First use appears c. 1658 in the publication Public Intelligencer. See cite below.

Synonyms

administrivia administrativia paperwork

Derived words

green tape red-tapism red-tapist

Translations

Afrikaans: rompslomp Chinese Mandarin: 繁文縟節 /繁文缛节 Chinese Mandarin: 繁文縟禮 /繁文缛礼 Chinese Mandarin: 官僚習氣 /官僚习气 Czech: úřední šiml Dutch: paarse krokodil Finnish: paperisota French: impôt papier French: paperasse f paperasserie German: Amtsschimmel Hindi: लालफ़ीता Japanese: 繁文縟礼 Japanese: レッドテープ Japanese: お役所さんの仕事 Korean: 번문욕례 Korean: 레드 테이프 Persian: کاغذبازی Polish: biuralizm Polish: biurokracja Polish: biurokratyzm Portuguese: burocracia Russian: бюрократи́зм Russian: канцеля́рщина Russian: волоки́та Slovak: úradný šimeľ Spanish: papeleo Spanish: burocracia Spanish: cinta roja Spanish: expedienteo Spanish: papelerío Spanish: trámites Spanish: gestión Spanish: formalismos Spanish: formulismos Swedish: byråkrati
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