measuring tape

IPA/ˈmeʒərɪŋ teɪp/
IPA/ˈmeʒərɪŋ teɪp/

measuring tape — noun

1. a long, narrow strip of cloth, plastic, or bendable metal printed with numbers,

1.nounB1
Definition

a long, narrow strip of cloth, plastic, or bendable metal printed with numbers, which you stretch along an object to find out how long, wide, or tall it is.

Example

Esme pulled out a measuring tape to check the width of the doorway.

use a measuring tape to check a length

The tailor wrapped a measuring tape around Christopher's waist before the fitting.

wrap a measuring tape around something

Common collocations
  • pull out a measuring tape
  • read the measuring tape
  • wrap a measuring tape around
  • stretch a measuring tape
Synonyms
  • tape measure

    the more common British and everyday term for the same tool

  • ruler

    a stiff, straight tool, usually shorter and unable to bend around curves

Usage Note

Usually paired with verbs of extending and reading: you pull out, stretch, or wrap a measuring tape, then read the number where the object ends.

Common Mistakes

I cut the wood with a measuring tape.
I measured the wood with a measuring tape, then cut it.
a measuring tape only shows length; it does not cut.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/1

All three are tools for finding how long something is, but they differ in shape and use. A measuring tape (also called a tape measure in everyday British English) is a flexible strip that can bend around curves, so a tailor uses it to measure a waist or a chest. A ruler is short, flat, and stiff; it suits straight lines on paper or a small board but cannot wrap around a body. When the distance is long or the surface is round, reach for a measuring tape; for a quick straight line on a desk, a ruler is faster. Example: 'The dressmaker chose a measuring tape over a ruler to record Christopher's shoulders.'

measuring tape ↗tape measureruler ↗

Common collocations

Phrases

  • pull out a measuring tape
  • read off the measuring tape

Prepositions

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

A compound formed from 'measure' and 'tape'. 'Measure' came into English through Old French from Latin 'mensura', meaning the act of finding a size or amount. 'Tape' is a much older English word for a narrow woven strip. Put together, the phrase names a long strip you use to take a measurement, a sense recorded as the tool became common in tailoring and building.