Word
shoestring
Phoneticsshoe·string, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈʃuˌstɹɪŋ/
UK/ʃˈuːstɹɪŋ/
Countable noun
Definition
n. a long thin cord you thread through holes to tie your shoe and keep it on your foot. People also say 'on a shoestring' when you do something with very little money.
n. a narrow lace or cord threaded through eyelets to fasten a shoe or boot. Appears in the idiom 'on a shoestring' to describe activity carried out with minimal expenditure.
Examples
“He ties his shoestring in a double knot.”
“She stops at the stairs to retie her loose shoestring before catching the bus.”
“After miles of hiking with a frayed shoestring threatening to snap, he rations his steps carefully to avoid losing a sole on the rocky descent.”
Examples
simple
“He ties his shoestring in a double knot.”
contextual
“She stops at the stairs to retie her loose shoestring before catching the bus.”
complex
“After miles of hiking with a frayed shoestring threatening to snap, he rations his steps carefully to avoid losing a sole on the rocky descent.”
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “shoestring” in context.
Verb
01. live on shoestring
“As a student, I learned to live on a shoestring in London.”
verb + prep + noun
02. operate on shoestring
“The small charity continues to operate on a shoestring every year.”
verb + prep + noun
03. replace shoestring
“You should replace that shoestring before it snaps completely.”
verb + noun
04. shoestring breaks
“We were delayed when a shoestring broke just before the match.”
noun + verb
Adjective
05. broken shoestring
“I was late for school because of a broken shoestring.”
adj + noun
06. loose shoestring
“He tripped during the race because of a loose shoestring.”
adj + noun
Noun
07. knot in shoestring
“He struggled to undo the knot in his shoestring.”
noun + prep + noun
08. pair of shoestring
“I bought a new pair of shoestrings for my running shoes.”
noun + prep + noun
09. shoestring budget
“They filmed the entire movie on a shoestring budget.”
noun + noun
10. live on a shoestring
“She manages to live on a shoestring while studying abroad.”
11. on a shoestring
“They travelled around Europe on a shoestring as students.”
12. on a shoestring budget
“The club survives on a shoestring budget with no sponsors.”
Usage
Common in the idiom 'on a shoestring', meaning with very little money.
Real-World Examples
“Made on a shoestring budget and with hand-drawn posters and a reported cost in the thousands of dollars, "The Bull Comes," or "Niu Lai" in Chinese, grossed the equivalent of more than $4 million as of Thursday.” Etymology
The noun is derived from shoe + string. The adjective is derived from the noun, while the verb is derived from terms such as shoestring catch and shoestring tackle.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Domain
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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