| red tape | |
| —n | |
| obstructive official routine or procedure; time-consuming bureaucracy | |
| [C18: from the red tape used to bind official government documents] | |
| a gadget; dingus; thingumbob. |
| a children's mummer's parade, as on the Fourth of July, with prizes for the best costumes. |
Bureaucratic procedures that delay progress: “Paula had hoped to settle the inheritance quickly but got caught up in a lot of red tape.”
Administrative procedures, especially in a bureaucracy, that are marked by complexity and delay: “Red tape delayed his passport.”
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]