ENGLISH
REFERENCE

strip

v. · n.
US //ˈstɹɪp// UK //stɹˈɪp// strip
  1. 1 to remove a covering (v.)
    B1 Intermediate

    to remove the outer layer or covering from something.

    to remove a surface layer, coating, or covering from an object.

    Example

    You need to strip the old paint off the door before you paint it again.

    Example

    The restoration team had to carefully strip several layers of varnish to reveal the original mahogany grain underneath.
  2. 2 to undress (v.)
    A2 Elementary

    to take off your clothes.

    to remove one's clothing; can be used transitively or intransitively.

    Example

    The children stripped and jumped into the lake to cool off.

    Example

    After a long day in the laboratory, he stripped off his protective gear and headed for the showers.
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  1. 3 to take away status or property (v.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    to take away someone's power, rights, or titles as a punishment.

    to divest someone of possessions, honours, or rights, often as a formal or punitive measure.

    Example

    The athlete was stripped of his gold medal after failing a drug test.

    Example

    The disgraced executive was stripped of his voting rights and barred from future board meetings.

    Usage

    Usually used in the passive voice with the preposition 'of'.
  2. 4 a long thin piece (n.)
    A2 Elementary

    a long, narrow piece of something like paper, cloth, or metal.

    a long, narrow piece of material, typically of uniform width.

    Example

    She cut the paper into thin strips to make decorations for the party.

    Example

    The technician applied a strip of adhesive tape along the seam to ensure a waterproof seal.
  3. 5 a piece of land (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a long, narrow area of land or water.

    an elongated geographical area or territory.

    Example

    There is a small strip of garden between the house and the street.

    Example

    The disputed strip of territory along the border has been a source of tension for decades.
  4. 6 a comic strip (n.)
    B1 Intermediate

    a sequence of drawings in a newspaper that tell a funny story.

    a sequence of drawings in boxes that tell a story, typically printed in a newspaper or magazine.

    Example

    My favorite part of the Sunday paper is the comic strip.

    Example

    The artist gained fame for a daily comic strip that satirised modern office culture.
  5. 7 sports uniform (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate British English Sport

    the special clothes worn by a sports team.

    the identifying outfit or kit worn by members of a sports team.

    Example

    The team will be playing in their new red and white strip this weekend.

    Example

    The club's traditional away strip features vertical blue stripes and white shorts.

    Teacher's tip

    In American English, 'uniform' or 'kit' is much more common than 'strip'.
  6. 8 a commercial street (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate American English

    a long street in a town where there are many shops and restaurants.

    a main thoroughfare lined with commercial establishments, such as shops, restaurants, and hotels.

    Example

    We drove down the main strip looking for a place to eat dinner.

    Example

    The city's famous neon-lit strip attracts millions of tourists every year.
  7. 9 an airport runway (n.)
    B2 Upper Intermediate

    a long, narrow surface where planes take off and land.

    a runway or landing area for aircraft, often one that is simple or unofficial.

    Example

    The small plane landed safely on a dirt strip in the middle of the field.

    Example

    The remote research station is only accessible via a narrow landing strip carved into the forest.
Etymology 1

From alteration of stripe or from Middle Low German strippe, of uncertain ultimate origin, perhaps derived from a lost strong verb Proto-Germanic *strīpaną, with no clear cognates outside of Germanic except for Irish sríab (“line, stripe”).

Etymology 2

From Middle English strepen, strippen, from Old English strīepan (“plunder”), from Proto-Germanic strēpōną, from Proto-Indo-European (s)ter(h₁)- (“to be stiff; be rigid; exert”). Probably related to German Strafe (“deprivation, fine, punishment”).

Word family
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