1 A2 neutral
To cover or seal something by placing tape over it.
"He taped over the broken window with thick plastic to stop the draught."
separable
tape over
B1 neutral separable transitive
To cover or fasten something with tape, or to record new content over an existing recording.
In plain English
To put tape on top of something to cover it, or to record something new on a tape that already had something on it.
What does "tape over" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 neutral
To record new audio or video content onto a medium that already has a previous recording, erasing it.
"Someone accidentally taped over the wedding video with a football match."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To place tape on top of (over) something.
Actually means
To put tape on top of something to cover it, or to record something new on a tape that already had something on it.
Usage tip
The recording sense was most common in the era of VHS and cassette tapes, but survives in digital contexts (e.g., recording over a saved file). The physical covering sense is still current and practical. Both senses involve the concept of placing something on top of something else.
Words that pair with "tape over"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
hole crack VHS recording webcam wound
How to conjugate "tape over"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
tape over
I/you/we/they
3rd person
tapes over
he/she/it
Past simple
taped over
yesterday
Past participle
taped over
have + pp
-ing form
taping over
continuous
Hear "tape over" in the wild
Listen to native speakers using "tape over" in real YouTube videos — click a clip to watch it on Looplines.
Keep exploring
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