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thread definition

thread (t̸hred)

noun

    1. a light, fine, stringlike length of material made up of two or more fibers or strands of spun cotton, flax, silk, etc. twisted together and used in sewing
    2. a similar fine length of synthetic material, as nylon or plastic, or of glass or metal
    3. the fine, stringy filament extruded by a spider, silkworm, etc.
    4. any of the yarns of which a fabric is woven
    5. a fine, stringy length of syrup or other viscous material
  1. any thin line, stratum, vein, stream, ray, etc.
  2. an element suggestive of a thread in being continuous or sequential the thread of a story
  3. the helical ridge of a screw, bolt, nut, etc.
  4. Slang a suit, or clothes generally

Etymology: ME threde < OE thræd (akin to Ger draht) < base of thrawan, to twist: see throw

transitive verb

    1. to put a thread through the eye of (a needle, etc.)
    2. to arrange thread for use on (a sewing machine)
  1. to string (beads, etc.) on or as if on a thread
  2. to fashion a thread (sense ) on or in (a screw, pipe, etc.)
  3. to interweave with or as if with threads a red tapestry threaded with gold
    1. to pass through by twisting, turning, or weaving in and out to thread the streets
    2. to make (one's way) in this fashion
  4. to pass or feed (tape, film, etc.) into or through (a recorder, projector, etc.)

intransitive verb

  1. to go along or proceed in a winding way
  2. ☆ to form a thread when dropped from a spoon: said of boiling syrup that has reached a certain consistency

Related Forms:

Webster's New World College Dictionary Copyright © 2005 by Wiley Publishing, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio.
Used by arrangement with John Wiley & Sons, Inc.

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