tape English · revision 5274

+ {{infobox|confidence=uncertain|formation=inherited|attested=c. 1000|origins=ang tæppe}}

+

+ ==Pronunciation==

+ * IPA: /teɪp/^(Roach et al. 2011)

+

+ ==Etymology==

+ It is [[inh|enm|tape|alt=tape, tappe]], [[inh|ang|tæppe|alt=tæppa, tæppe|t=narrow strip of cloth]],^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024) a word of uncertain origin.^(Etymonline)^(Hoad 1986) It is probably related to Old Frisian tapia and Middle Low German tapen “to pull, pluck, tear”,^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(NODE 1998) while Klein suggested a back-formation from Latin tapēte “cloth, carpet”.^(Etymonline) The lengthening of the vowel in Middle English is unexplained, perhaps by mistaken analogy with [[taper]].^(Barnhart 1988)^(Etymonline)

+

+ ==Earliest recorded meaning==

+ A narrow woven strip of linen or cotton used for tying or measuring: about 1000 in the OED and Barnhart, in Ælfric.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Semantic evolution==

+ A tape stretched across the finish of a race is from 1867.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989) A thin flexible strip of metal for measuring, and the paper ribbon of a telegraph receiver (''ticker tape''), are from 1884,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) ''adhesive tape'' from 1885,^(Etymonline) and ''tape measure'' from 1873.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) Magnetic tape for recording sound is from 1932,^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988) and a recording on tape from about 1946.^(OED 1989) The verb, to furnish with tape, is from 1609 (about 1600 in Etymonline),^(Barnhart 1988)^(MWU 2024)^(Etymonline) to fasten with adhesive tape from 1932, and to make a tape recording by 1950.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988) In army slang a ''tape'' is an NCO's chevron, from 1943.^(OED 1989)

+

+ ==Timeline==

+ * c. 1000 – a strip of cloth.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1609 – verb, to furnish with tape.^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1867 – the finishing tape.^(Etymonline)^(OED 1989)

+ * 1884 – ticker tape.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1932 – magnetic tape.^(OED 1989)^(Barnhart 1988)

+ * 1950 – to tape-record.^(Etymonline)^(Barnhart 1988)

+

+ ==Modern meaning==

+ ===Noun===

+ # A long narrow strip of plastic with a sticky side, used to fasten things.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A narrow strip of strong cloth, used in sewing or tying.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # Magnetic tape, or a cassette or recording made on it.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A [[tape measure]].^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # A string stretched across the finishing line of a race.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ===Verb===

+ # To record sounds or pictures on tape.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+ # To fasten or wrap something with tape.^(AHD)^(Collins 2023)

+

+ ==Word family==

+ * [[tapeable]]

+ * [[tapeless]]

+ * [[tapelike]]

+

+ ==Related words==

+ * [[taper]]

+

+ ==References==

+ {{reflist}}