| Idiom | Red Tape |
|---|---|
| Example | Why can't the mayor just cut all the red tape and let us have a parade without a permit? |
| Meaning | excessive formality and time-consuming, rigid adherence to rules and regulations |
| Origin | Red ribbon was once used by lawyers and government employees to tie up bundles of legal documents. Before any official business could be transacted, the red tape had to be cut. We use "red tape" to refer to any kind of trivial and needless delay caused by time-consuming, bureaucratic work and office routines in an organization. |
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