String

String, string, n. a small cord or slip of anything for tying, small cord, twine: a ribbon: nerve, tendon, a vegetable fibre: the chord (slender piece of wire or catgut stretched) of a musical instrument: (pl.) stringed instruments collectively: a cord on which things are filed, a succession or series of things: a drove of horses: in billiards, the buttons strung on a wire by which the score is kept, the score itself: an expedient, object in view or of pursuit: the highest range of planks in a ship's ceiling.—v.t. to supply with strings: to put in tune: to put on a string: to make tense or firm: to take the strings off.—v.i. to stretch out into a long line: to form itself into strings: at billiards, to drive the ball against the end of the table and back, in order to determine which player is to open the game:—pa.t. and pa.p. strung.—ns. String′-band, a band composed chiefly of stringed instruments; String′-board, a board which faces the well-hole of a staircase, and receives the ends of the steps; String′-course, a projecting horizontal course or line of mouldings running quite along the face of a building.—adj. Stringed, having strings.—ns. String′er, one who, or that which, strings: a lengthwise timber on which a rail is fastened resting on a transverse cross-tie or sleeper: any main lengthways timber in a bridge or other building: a small screw-hook to which piano-strings are sometimes attached: (naut.) a shelf-piece, an inside horizontal plank, supporting beam-ends, any heavy timber similarly carried round a vessel to strengthen her for special heavy service, as whaling, &c.; String′iness.—adj. String′less, having no strings.—ns. String′-or′gan, a reed-organ having a graduated set of vibrators or free reeds connected by rods which cause to vibrate corresponding wires or strings stretched over a sounding-board; String′-pea, a pea with edible pods; String′-piece, a supporting timber forming the edge of the framework of a floor or staircase, &c.; String′-plate; a metal plate bearing the spring-block of a pianoforte.—adj. String′y, consisting of strings or small threads: fibrous: capable of being drawn into strings.—n. String′y-bark, one of a class of Australian gum-trees with very fibrous bark.—Harp upon one string (see under Harp); Have one on a string, to gain complete influence or control over some one: to place a person under great anxiety; Have two strings to one's bow, to have more than one expedient for attaining the object in view. [A.S. strenge, cord—strang, strong; Dut. streng, Ice. strengr, Ger. strang; conn. with L. stringĕre, to draw tight.]