thread

[thred] /θrɛd/
noun
1.
a fine cord of flax, cotton, or other fibrous material spun out to considerable length, especially when composed of two or more filaments twisted together.
2.
twisted filaments or fibers of any kind used for sewing.
3.
one of the lengths of yarn forming the warp or weft of a woven fabric.
4.
a filament or fiber of glass or other ductile substance.
5.
Ropemaking.
  1. any of a number of fibers twisted into a yarn.
  2. a yarn, especially as enumerated in describing small stuff.
6.
something having the fineness or slenderness of a filament, as a thin continuous stream of liquid, a fine line of color, or a thin seam of ore:
a thread of smoke.
7.
the helical ridge of a screw.
8.
that which runs through the whole course of something, connecting successive parts:
I lost the thread of the story.
9.
something conceived as being spun or continuously drawn out, as the course of life fabled to be spun, measured, and cut by the Fates.
10.
Computers. a series of newsgroup messages dealing with the same subject.
11.
threads, Slang. clothes.
verb (used with object)
12.
to pass the end of a thread through the eye of (a needle).
13.
to fix (beads, pearls, etc.) upon a thread that is passed through; string.
14.
to pass continuously through the whole course of (something); pervade:
A joyous quality threaded the whole symphony.
15.
to make one's way through (a narrow passage, forest, crowd, etc.).
16.
to make (one's way) thus:
He threaded his way through the crowd.
17.
to form a thread on or in (a bolt, hole, etc.).
18.
to place and arrange thread, yarn, etc., in position on (a sewing machine, loom, textile machine, etc.).
verb (used without object)
19.
to thread one's way, as through a passage or between obstacles:
They threaded carefully along the narrow pass.
20.
to move in a threadlike course; wind or twine.
21.
Cookery. (of boiling syrup) to form a fine thread when poured from a spoon.
Origin
before 900; (noun) Middle English threed, Old English thrǣd; cognate with Dutch draad, German Draht, Old Norse thrathr wire; (v.) Middle English threeden, derivative of the noun See throw
Related forms
threader, noun
threadless, adjective
threadlike, adjective
misthread, verb
rethread, verb
self-threading, adjective
Examples from the web for threads
  • Then it threads its proboscis into a vein in the gills and sucks the shark's blood.
  • Furthermore all the vibrios, which crowded the liquid as motile threads, are destroyed and disappear.
  • Dancers perform on the show and show off some bold threads.
  • When the syrup is dripped from a spoon it will have the thickness of about two threads.
  • We listened as they wove threads of a sustainable future with the threats of impeding mega tanker traffic.
  • Steve courageously exposes his life to us, allowing us to experience the intimate threads of our own.
  • It would be big progress if comments on these threads were authoritative.
  • Some of them hear these small threads of pseudo-fact and distrust science that has been proven for years.
  • One of us may persuade others, some not even participating, and the ideas propagate outwards to other threads on other topics.
  • As you can see by all these threads, religion is different to any and all who believe.
British Dictionary definitions for threads

threads

/θrɛdz/
plural noun
1.
a slang word for clothes

thread

/θrɛd/
noun
1.
a fine strand, filament or fibre of some material
2.
a fine cord of twisted filaments, esp of cotton, used in sewing, weaving, etc
3.
any of the filaments of which a spider's web is made
4.
any fine line, stream, mark, or piece: from the air, the path was a thread of white
5.
a helical groove in a cylindrical hole (female thread), formed by a tap or lathe tool, or a helical ridge on a cylindrical bar, rod, shank, etc (male thread), formed by a die or lathe tool
6.
a very thin seam of coal or vein of ore
7.
something acting as the continuous link or theme of a whole: the thread of the story
8.
the course of an individual's life believed in Greek mythology to be spun, measured, and cut by the Fates
verb
9.
(transitive) to pass (thread, film, magnetic tape, etc) through (something): to thread a needle, to thread cotton through a needle
10.
(transitive) to string on a thread: she threaded the beads
11.
to make (one's way) through or over (something)
12.
(transitive) to produce a screw thread by cutting, rolling, tapping, or grinding
13.
(transitive) to pervade: hysteria threaded his account
14.
(intransitive) (of boiling syrup) to form a fine thread when poured from a spoon
See also threads
Derived Forms
threader, noun
threadless, adjective
threadlike, adjective
Word Origin
Old English thrǣd; related to Old Frisian thrēd, Old High German drāt, Old Norse thrāthr thread
Word Origin and History for threads

thread

n.

Old English þræd "fine cord, especially when twisted" (related to þrawan "to twist"), from Proto-Germanic *thrædus (cf. Middle Dutch draet, Dutch draad, Old High German drat, German Draht, Old Norse þraðr), from suffixed form of root *thræ- "twist" (see throw). Meaning "spiral ridge of a screw" is from 1670s. Threads, slang for "clothes" is 1926, American English.

v.

"to put thread through a needle," mid-14c., from thread (n.); in reference to film cameras from 1913. The dancing move called thread the needle is attested from 1844. Related: Threaded; threading.

Slang definitions & phrases for threads

threads

noun

Clothes, esp a suit of clothes; duds (1926+)

Related Terms

set of threads


Idioms and Phrases with threads

thread

see: