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REFERENCE

string

n. · v.
US //ˈstɹɪŋ// UK //stɹˈɪŋ// string
Irregular verb past strung past participle strung
  1. 1 thin cord (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a thin, strong thread or cord used for tying, hanging, or fastening things.

    a thin, flexible structure composed of twisted fibres used for binding or suspension.

    Example

    He tied the brown paper parcel with a piece of thick garden string.

    Example

    The package was secured with several loops of heavy-duty string to ensure it wouldn't burst open during international transit.
  2. 2 a series (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a number of similar things or events that happen one after another.

    a sequence of similar items, events, or people arranged or occurring in succession.

    Example

    The team celebrated after a string of five victories in a row.

    Example

    The company suffered a string of financial setbacks that eventually forced the board to reconsider its expansion strategy.
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  1. 3 musical instruments (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Music

    the section of an orchestra that includes violins, cellos, and similar instruments.

    the section of an orchestra comprising instruments with strings played by a bow or plucked.

    Example

    The strings played a beautiful melody while the rest of the orchestra was silent.

    Example

    The composer wrote a lush arrangement for the strings, highlighting the rich textures of the cellos and double basses.
    • string section
  2. 4 conditions (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Informal

    special conditions or rules that are part of an agreement.

    limiting conditions or provisos attached to an offer or agreement; usually plural.

    Example

    The scholarship was offered with no strings attached, so she could study anywhere.

    Example

    The government provided the emergency loan with several strings attached, including a requirement for immediate structural reform.
  3. 5 computing data (n.)
    C1 Advanced Technical Computing

    a sequence of characters, like letters or numbers, treated as a single piece of data.

    a finite sequence of characters that is treated as a data type in computer programming.

    Example

    The program crashed because the input string was too long for the memory.

    Example

    The function is designed to parse the input string and extract the numerical values for further processing.
  4. 6 physics entity (n.)
    C2 Proficiency Technical Science

    a tiny, one-dimensional object that some scientists believe is the basic building block of the universe.

    a hypothetical one-dimensional object whose vibration patterns represent different elementary particles.

    Example

    String theory suggests that everything in the universe is made of tiny vibrating strings.

    Example

    Theoretical physicists continue to debate whether these fundamental strings can ever be observed through experimental means.

  5. 7 to thread items (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to put things like beads or lights onto a piece of string or wire.

    to thread objects onto a string or to arrange them in a line as if on a string.

    Example

    The children spent the afternoon stringing colourful beads to make necklaces.

    Example

    The workers were busy stringing festive lights across the main square in preparation for the winter festival.
  6. 8 to add strings (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate Sport

    to put new strings on a musical instrument or a sports racket.

    to fit an instrument or sports equipment with the necessary strings for use.

    Example

    I need to have my tennis racket re-strung before the tournament starts.

    Example

    The luthier carefully strung the violin, ensuring the tension was perfectly balanced across the bridge.
    • unstring
Etymology 1

From Middle English string, streng, strynge, from Old English strenġ, from Proto-West Germanic strangi, from Proto-Germanic strangiz (“string”), from Proto-Indo-European *strengʰ- (“rope, cord, strand; to tighten”). Cognate with Scots string (“string”), Dutch streng (“cord, strand”), Low German strenge (“strand, cord, rope”), German Strang (“strand, cord, rope”), Danish streng (“string”), Swedish sträng (“string, cord, wire”), Icelandic strengur (“string”), Latvian stringt (“to be tight, wither”), Latin stringō (“I tighten”), Ancient Greek στραγγαλόομαι (strangalóomai, “to strangle”), from στραγγάλη (strangálē, “halter”), Ancient Greek στραγγός (strangós, “tied together, entangled, twisted”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English stryngen, strengen, from the noun (see above).

Word family
Idioms11 entries

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