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

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Having disposed of this temperate refreshment, she arose from her stool, tied her papers into a formal packet with red tape, and taking them under her arm, marched out of the office. The Old Curiosity Shop by Dickens, Charles View in context asked Laurie soberly, as Amy laid a bit of red tape, with sealing wax, a taper, and a standish before him. Little Women by Alcott, Louisa May View in context If I had waited for the governor to let her know in the usual course of red tape we should never have got anywhere. Uneasy Money by Wodehouse, Pelham Grenville View in context			recommend for recommend to recompense for reconcile reconcile oneself to reconcile with reconstruct from record record from record in record on recount to recoup from recover from recruit recruit for recruit from recruit into recuperate from red red as a cherry red eye red herring red in the face red ink red tape red-blooded red-carpet treatment red-hot red-letter day rededicate oneself or to redound on reduce reduce by reduce from reduce to reduce to silence reduce to tears reduced to doing reed reed before the wind lives on, while mighty oaks do fall reef a sail in reek of reel reel back reel in reel off reel under refer refer back to refer to			Red Stripe (beer) Red Stripe beer Red Stripe Music Award Red Stripe(beer) Red Sun Red Sun Army Red Sun Black Cross Red supergiant Red supergiants Red Swamp Crawfish Red Swamp Crayfish Red Switch Project Red Switch To TRI-TAC Interface Red tag Red tag Red Tag Bastards Red Tai Red tail Red Tail Boa Red tail catfish Red tail hawk Red Tailed Black Shark Red tailed boa Red tailed boa Red tailed boa Red Tailed Hawk Red Tailed Hawk Red Tambov Cattle red tape Red tapeworm Red tapeworm Red Tart Pitted Red Team Red Team Leader Course Red Telefónica Basica Red Telefónica Conmutada/Convencional Red Telefónica Pública Conmutada Red Telephone Switching System Red Tercer Mundo red tetrazolium Red the Uniform Tailor red thermit Red thread red tide red tide red tide red tides red tides red tides Red Tiger Red Tiger Red Tiger Red to Black Red top Red top Red Top Mountain State Park & Lodge Red Trade Union International red trillium red trillium

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