Sometimes, I can not see the rim or the edge of my adhesive tape because the rim/edge does not stick up but onto the tape tightly and the color is the same.
So, is it correct to say "I glided my fingernail on the adhesive tape to feel its rim/edge"?
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6"Glide" isn't usually used transitively this way. I would probably express the same idea something like "I slid my fingernail along the tape roll to feel where it started." (Where it started = the 'edge' of the tape but without the repetition of the word 'tape'; the word 'rim' isn't idiomatic here.)– Quack E. DuckCommented Jul 1 at 3:36
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4I think of the edge as the lengthwise sides of the tape in this setting. I would call the marked part in the picture the end of the tape. (Or start, depending on where you think the tape begins and ends.) I ran my fingernail along the tape to find its end point.– Peter KirkpatrickCommented Jul 1 at 6:08
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1@QuackE.Duck "See that right there?" the obstetrician asked as she glided the sonogram wand across my middle and pointed to a blurry image on the monitor.; She glided the brush over my face; she glided the comb through her brown tresses; She glided the puck over to Taylor Heise who connected with Kirsten Simms; In the 31st minute, she glided the ball from right foot to left and then effortlessly into the back of the net, a truly classic Kirby goal– Michael HarveyCommented Jul 1 at 8:04
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1QED's "slid" is far more idiomatic than "glided" there, though "glided" isn't ungrammatical. "rim" is unusual but not absolutely impossible (a non-native speaker would be understood). .But tape doesn't have a "rim" just as a knife blade doesn't.– TimRCommented Jul 1 at 10:21
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1@QuackE.Duck For quite a few hours, this comment was the best answer. Beware of "answering in the comments": An answer can be short and to the point. Next time you spot the problem, I suggest turning it into an official answer!– Andy BonnerCommented Jul 1 at 15:28
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2 Answers
tape and tape end.
Often with various types of tape, we can't find the end.
So:
We run a fingernail (thumb or forefinger) around the roll of tape until we find edge or end of the tape. Then, we use our fingernail to pull up a bit of tape so it sticks out and we can begin to use it.
Wiki How:
Run your finger around the roll. Use your fingertip for heightened sensation, or use your fingernail for the sake of precision. Slip your finger around the roll and feel for bumps and ridges. The edge should feel like a slightly raised ridge in the tape. If the lip is large enough, your finger will catch slightly. If you think you've identified the edge by looking closely, use your finger for a closer inspection. If you have very short fingernails, try running the edge of a knife around the rim of the roll.1 You might also use a toothpick, a paperclip, a key – anything that allows you the sensation and precision to feel a slight ridge in the surface of the tape. Be careful not to press too hard and puncture the tape.[2] If you don't feel anything on the first pass, try going around in the opposite direction. Wiki How
glide is not right here:
Merriam Webster intransitive verb
1 : to move smoothly, continuously, and effortlessly swans gliding over the lake 2 : to go or pass imperceptibly hours glided by 3 a of an airplane : to descend gradually in controlled flight b : to fly in a glider 4 : to produce a glide (as in music or speech)
a bowl or glass has a rim. Tape does not have a rim. It's has an end.
"Glide" is possible but not the best word. "To glide" in this context means to move smoothly, gracefully, and effortlessly, without encountering any resistance. Merriam-Webster's examples are swans (a standard example of seemingly effortless motion) and skiers on a slope.
Hence, if you're moving your finger seeking the end of a piece of tape, you're probably not moving in an elegant or graceful fashion. You're moving more slowly, feeling for any resistance. If you encounter resistance, you're not gliding.
A better word might be to "run your fingernail over the tape" ("to (cause something to) travel, move, or continue in a particular way"; "to pass or slide freely"). Merriam-Webster's example is "a rope runs through the pulley". But there are lots of examples of "run your fingernail", e.g. golf.com, zamberg.com.
