string
pronunciation
How to pronounce string in British English:
UK [strɪŋ]
How to pronounce string in American English:
US [strɪŋ]
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- Noun:
- a lightweight cord
- stringed instruments that are played with a bow
- a tightly stretched cord of wire or gut, which makes sound when plucked, struck, or bowed
- a sequentially ordered set of things or events or ideas in which each successive member is related to the preceding
- a linear sequence of symbols (characters or words or phrases)
- a tie consisting of a cord that goes through a seam around an opening
- a collection of objects threaded on a single strand
- a necklace made by a stringing objects together
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- Verb:
- thread on or as if on a string
- add as if on a string
- move or come along
- stretch out or arrange like a string
- string together; tie or fasten with a string
- remove the stringy parts of
- provide with strings
Word Origin
- string
- string: [OE] String is etymologically something that has been pulled ‘taut’ or ‘stiff’. It comes from a prehistoric Germanic base *strang-, denoting ‘taut, stiff’, which also produced English strong.=> strong
- string (n.)
- Old English streng "line, cord, thread, string of a bow or harp," in plural "tackle, rigging; lineage, race," from Proto-Germanic *strangiz (cognates: Old Norse strengr, Danish streng, Middle Dutch strenge, Dutch streng, Old High German strang, German Strang "rope, cord"), from *strang- "taut, stiff," from PIE root *strenk- "tight, narrow." Gradually restricted by early Middle English to lines that are smaller than a rope. Sense of "a number of objects arranged in a line" first recorded late 15c. Old English meaning "ligaments, tendons" is preserved in hamstring, heartstrings. Meaning "limitations, stipulations" (1888) is American English, probably from the common April Fool's joke of leaving a purse that appears to be full of money on the sidewalk, then tugging it away with an attached string when someone stoops to pick it up. To pull strings "control the course of affairs" (1860) is from the notion of puppet theater. First string, second string, etc. in athletics (1863) is from archers' custom of carrying spare bowstrings in the event that one breaks. Strings "stringed instruments" is attested from mid-14c. String bean is from 1759; string bikini is from 1974.
- string (v.)
- c. 1400, "to fit a bow with a string," from string (n.). Meaning "to thread (beads, etc.) on a string" is from 1610s. Of musical instruments from 1520s (stringed instrument is from c. 1600). To string (someone) along is slang from 1902; string (v.) in the sense "deceive" is attested in British dialect from c. 1812; perhaps ultimately from the musical instrument sense and with a notion of "to 'tune' someone (for some purpose)." Related: Stringed (later strung); stringing.
Example
- 1. Here , a string is used to defne the hasmany association .
- 2. Hawkish indians consider these chinese investments as a " string of pearls " to throttle india .
- 3. Soon they had found five different string theories .
- 4. And the paladins third string quarterback had to pull double duty .
- 5. Newspapers , jars and string were diligently saved and reused .