red tape
RED TAYP
rɛd teɪpListen
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Syllable breakdown
Dictionary meaning
excessive bureaucratic formality, regulation, and procedural requirements that slow down or obstruct the completion of straightforward tasks; the phrase originates in the practice of tying official documents with red or pink ribbon or tape in British and European government offices, symbolising the administrative apparatus through which all official business must pass; today red tape is used broadly to describe any bureaucratic obstacle, regulatory burden, or procedural requirement perceived as unnecessarily complex, slow, or counterproductive
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