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red tape

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red tape

Fig. over-strict attention to the wording and details of rules and regulations, especially by government workers. (From the color of the tape used by government departments in England to tie up bundles of documents.) Because of red tape, Frank took weeks to get a visa. Red tape prevented Jack's wife from joining him abroad.

See also: red, tape

red tape

official rules which do not seem necessary and make things happen very slowly My passport application has been held up by red tape.

See be on full alert, go beet red, go beetroot, roll out the red carpet, see red

See also: red, tape

red tape

Official forms and procedures, especially those that are complex and time-consuming. For example, There's so much red tape involved in approving our remodeling that we're tempted to postpone it indefinitely . This expression alludes to the former British custom of tying up official documents with red ribbon. [Early 1800s]

See also: red, tape