strand

¹

[strand]

verb (used with object)

1. to drive or leave (a ship, fish, etc.) aground or ashore.

   The receding tide stranded the whale.

2. (usually used in the passive) to bring into or leave in a helpless position.

   He was stranded in the middle of nowhere.

verb (used without object)

1. to be driven or left ashore; run aground.

2. to be halted or struck by a difficult situation.

   He stranded in the middle of his speech.

noun

1. the land bordering the sea, a lake, or a river; shore; beach.

strand

²

[strand]

noun

1. one of a number of fibers, threads, or yarns that are plaited or twisted together to form a rope, cord, or the like.

2. a similar part of a wire rope.

3. a rope made of such twisted or plaited fibers.

4. a fiber or filament, as in animal or plant tissue.

   a single strand of messenger RNA.

5. a thread or threadlike part of anything.

   the strands of a plot.

6. a tress of hair.

7. a string of pearls, beads, etc.

verb (used with object)

1. to form (a rope, cable, etc.) by twisting strands together.

2. to break one or more strands of (a rope).

Strand

³

[strand]

noun

1. Mark, 1934–2014, U.S. poet, born in Canada: U.S. poet laureate 1990–91.

2. Paul, 1890–1976, U.S. photographer and documentary-film producer.

3. the, a street parallel to the Thames, in W central London, England: famous for hotels and theaters.

strand

¹

/ strænd /

noun

1. a set of or one of the individual fibres or threads of string, wire, etc, that form a rope, cable, etc

2. a single length of string, hair, wool, wire, etc

3. a string of pearls or beads

4. a constituent element in a complex whole

   one strand of her argument

verb

1. (tr) to form (a rope, cable, etc) by winding strands together

strand

²

/ strænd /

verb

1. to leave or drive (ships, fish, etc) aground or ashore or (of ships, fish, etc) to be left or driven ashore

2. (tr; usually passive) to leave helpless, as without transport or money, etc

noun

1. a shore or beach

2. a foreign country

Strand

³

/ strænd /

noun

1. a street in W central London, parallel to the Thames: famous for its hotels and theatres

Other Word Forms

• strandless adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of strand¹

First before 1000; Middle English noun strond(e), strand(e), Old English strand; cognate with Dutch strand, German Strand, Old Norse strǫnd; akin to strew

Origin of strand²

First recorded in 1490–1500; origin uncertain

Word History and Origins

Origin of strand¹

C15: of uncertain origin

Origin of strand²

Old English; related to Old Norse strönd side, Middle High German strant beach, Latin sternere to spread

Example Sentences

Black film scout Striker takes an Antarctic cruise that winds up with passengers stranded on an island following a kayaking expedition.

From Los Angeles Times

He said he had previously planned to continue his journey with hopes of riding through Africa next, but was now stranded and left only with the clothes on his back.

From BBC

The dramatic weather recalled torrential rains that flooded the camp in 2023, leaving thousands stranded in deep, sticky mud.

From Los Angeles Times

For more than three months, the BHA has been assisting the stranded refugees by providing food and shelter, in the Tanintharyi region of Myanmar.

From BBC

It led to temporary trouble in the second, when a lack of command led to two walks that Ohtani needed back-to-back strikeouts to strand.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• fiber 
• filament 
• rope 
• string