# strip /ˈstɹɪp/ (US) · /stɹˈɪp/ (UK) Source: https://englishreference.com/word/strip Updated: 2026-06-19 ## Senses ### 1. to remove a covering verb · CEFR B1 to remove the outer layer or covering from something. For teachers: to remove a surface layer, coating, or covering from an object. - You need to strip the old paint off the door before you paint it again. - The restoration team had to carefully strip several layers of varnish to reveal the original mahogany grain underneath. ### 2. to undress verb · CEFR A2 to take off your clothes. For teachers: to remove one's clothing; can be used transitively or intransitively. - The children stripped and jumped into the lake to cool off. - After a long day in the laboratory, he stripped off his protective gear and headed for the showers. ### 3. to take away status or property verb · CEFR B2 to take away someone's power, rights, or titles as a punishment. For teachers: to divest someone of possessions, honours, or rights, often as a formal or punitive measure. - The athlete was stripped of his gold medal after failing a drug test. - 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'. ### 4. a long thin piece noun · CEFR A2 a long, narrow piece of something like paper, cloth, or metal. For teachers: a long, narrow piece of material, typically of uniform width. - She cut the paper into thin strips to make decorations for the party. - The technician applied a strip of adhesive tape along the seam to ensure a waterproof seal. ### 5. a piece of land noun · CEFR B1 a long, narrow area of land or water. For teachers: an elongated geographical area or territory. - There is a small strip of garden between the house and the street. - The disputed strip of territory along the border has been a source of tension for decades. ### 6. a comic strip noun · CEFR B1 a sequence of drawings in a newspaper that tell a funny story. For teachers: a sequence of drawings in boxes that tell a story, typically printed in a newspaper or magazine. - My favorite part of the Sunday paper is the comic strip. - The artist gained fame for a daily comic strip that satirised modern office culture. ### 7. sports uniform noun · CEFR B2 · British English the special clothes worn by a sports team. For teachers: the identifying outfit or kit worn by members of a sports team. - The team will be playing in their new red and white strip this weekend. - The club's traditional away strip features vertical blue stripes and white shorts. Teaching tip: In American English, 'uniform' or 'kit' is much more common than 'strip'. ### 8. a commercial street noun · CEFR B2 · American English a long street in a town where there are many shops and restaurants. For teachers: a main thoroughfare lined with commercial establishments, such as shops, restaurants, and hotels. - We drove down the main strip looking for a place to eat dinner. - The city's famous neon-lit strip attracts millions of tourists every year. ### 9. an airport runway noun · CEFR B2 a long, narrow surface where planes take off and land. For teachers: a runway or landing area for aircraft, often one that is simple or unofficial. - The small plane landed safely on a dirt strip in the middle of the field. - The remote research station is only accessible via a narrow landing strip carved into the forest. ## Examples - She cut the paper into a long strip. - The farmer planted a narrow strip of wildflowers along the edge of the cornfield to attract bees. - The peace treaty established a neutral strip of land between the two warring nations, intended to serve as a buffer zone and prevent further border skirmishes. --- From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.