/ strɪŋ; NAmE / noun , verb , adjective
■ noun
FOR TYING / FASTENING
1.
[ U , C ] material made of several threads twisted together, used for tying things together; a piece of string used to fasten or pull sth or keep sth in place :
a piece / length of string
He wrapped the package in brown paper and tied it with string.
The key is hanging on a string by the door.
—see also drawstring , G-string , the purse strings
THINGS JOINED
2.
[ C ] a set or series of things that are joined together, for example on a string :
a string of pearls
The molecules join together to form long strings.
SERIES
3.
[ C ] a series of things or people that come closely one after another :
a string of hits
He owns a string of racing stables.
COMPUTING
4.
[ C ] a series of characters (= letters, numbers, etc.)
MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS
5.
[ C ] a tightly stretched piece of wire, nylon , or catgut on a musical instrument, that produces a musical note when the instrument is played
—picture at grand piano
6.
the strings [ pl. ] the group of musical instruments in an orchestra that have strings, for example violins ; the people who play them :
The opening theme is taken up by the strings.
—compare brass , percussion , woodwind
ON TENNIS RACKET
7.
[ C ] any of the tightly stretched pieces of nylon , etc. in a racket , used for hitting balls in tennis and some other games
CONDITIONS
8.
strings [ pl. ] special conditions or restrictions :
Major loans like these always come with strings.
It's a business proposition, pure and simple. No strings attached .
•
IDIOMS
- have another string / more strings to your bow
—more at apron , long adjective , pull verb
■ verb
( strung , strung / strʌŋ; NAmE /) [ vn ]
HANG DECORATION
1.
[+ adv. / prep. ] string A on, along, in, etc. B | string B with A to hang or tie sth in place, especially as decoration :
Flags were strung out along the route.
The route was strung with flags.
JOIN THINGS
2.
[+ adv. / prep. ] to put a series of small objects on string, etc.; to join things together with string, etc.
SYN thread :
She had strung the shells on a silver chain.
( figurative )
carbon atoms strung together to form giant molecules
RACKET / MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
3.
to put a string or strings on a racket or musical instrument
—see also highly strung
•
PHRASAL VERBS
- string sb along
- string along (with sb)
- string sth out
- string sth together
- string sb up
■ adjective
[ only before noun ]
MUSICAL INSTRUMENT
1.
consisting of musical instruments that have strings; connected with these musical instruments :
a string quartet
a string player
MADE OF STRING
2.
made of string or sth like string :
a string bag / vest
••
WORD ORIGIN
Old English streng (noun), of Germanic origin; related to German Strang , also to strong . The verb (dating from late Middle English ) is first recorded in the senses arrange in a row and fit with a string .