strip

strip ¹

1. a. To remove clothing or covering from.
   b. To deprive of (clothing or covering).
2. To deprive of honors, rank, office, privileges, or possessions; divest.
3. a. To remove all excess detail from; reduce to essentials.
   b. To remove equipment, furnishings, or supplementary parts or attachments from.
4. To clear of a natural covering or growth; make bare: strip a field.
5. To remove an exterior coating, as of paint or varnish, from: stripped and refinished the old chest of drawers.
6. To remove the leaves from the stalks of. Used especially of tobacco.
7. To dismantle (a firearm, for example) piece by piece.
8. To damage or break the threads of (a screw, for example) or the teeth of (a gear).
9. To press the last drops of milk from (a cow or goat, for example) at the end of milking.
10. To rob of wealth or property; plunder or despoil.
11. To mount (a photographic positive or negative) on paper to be used in making a printing plate.

1. a. To undress completely.
   b. To perform a striptease.
2. To fall away or be removed; peel.

Origin: Middle English stripen, from Old English -strȳpan, to plunder (in bestrȳpan).

Related Forms:

• stripˈpa·ble adjective

strip ²

1. a. A long narrow piece, usually of uniform width: a strip of paper; strips of beef.
   b. A long narrow region of land or body of water.
2. A comic strip.
3. An airstrip.
4. An area, as along a busy street or highway, that is lined with a great number and variety of commercial establishments.

Origin: Middle English, perhaps from Middle Low German strippe, strap, thong.