string

I. noun Etymology: Middle English, from Old English streng; akin to Old High German strang rope, Latin stringere to bind tight — more at strain Date: before 12th century 1. a. a cord usually used to bind, fasten, or tie — often used attributively <

a string bag

> b. something that resembles a string <

garnished with potato strings

> 2. a. archaic a cord (as a tendon or ligament) of an animal body b. a plant fiber (as a leaf vein) 3. a. the gut, wire, or nylon cord of a musical instrument b. plural (1) the stringed instruments of an orchestra (2) the players of such instruments 4. the gut, wire, or cord of a racket or shooting bow 5. a. a group of objects threaded on a string <

a string of fish

> <

a string of pearls

> b. (1) a series of things arranged in or as if in a line <

a string of cars

> <

a string of names

> (2) a sequence of like items (as bits, characters, or words) c. a group of business properties scattered geographically <

a string of newspapers

> d. the animals and especially horses belonging to or used by one individual 6. a. a means of recourse ; expedient b. a group of players ranked according to skill or proficiency 7. succession 3a <

a string of successes

> 8. one of the inclined sides of a stair supporting the treads and risers 9. a. balkline 1 b. the action of lagging for break in billiards 10. line 13 11. plural a. contingent conditions or obligations b. control, domination 12. a hypothetical one-dimensional object that is infinitely thin but has a length of 10-33 centimeters, that vibrates as it moves through space, and whose mode of vibration manifests itself as a subatomic particle • stringless adjective II. verb (strung; stringing) Date: 15th century transitive verb 1. a. to equip with strings b. to tune the strings of 2. to make tense ; key up 3. a. to thread on or as if on a string b. to thread with objects c. to tie, hang, or fasten with string d. to put together (as words or ideas) like objects threaded on a string <

strung her thoughts together

> 4. to hang by the neck — used with up 5. to remove the strings of <

string beans

> 6. a. to extend or stretch like a string <

string wires from tree to tree

> b. to set out in a line or series — often used with out intransitive verb 1. to move, progress, or lie in a string 2. to form into strings 3. lag 3 III. adjective Date: 15th century of or relating to stringed musical instruments <

the string section

>