string / string/ • n. 1. material consisting of threads of cotton, hemp, or other material twisted together to form a thin length. ∎  a piece of such material used to tie around or attach to something. ∎  a piece of catgut or similar material interwoven with others to form the head of a sports racket. ∎  a length of catgut or wire on a musical instrument, producing a note by vibration. ∎  (strings) the stringed instruments in an orchestra. ∎  [as adj.] of, relating to, or consisting of stringed instruments: a string quartet.2. a set of things tied or threaded together on a thin cord: she wore a string of agates around her throat. ∎  a sequence of similar items or events: a string of burglaries. ∎  Comput. a linear sequence of characters, words, or other data. ∎  a group of racehorses trained at one stable. ∎  a team or player holding a specified position in an order of preference: Gary was first string on the varsity football team.3. a tough piece of fiber in vegetables, meat, or other food, such as a tough elongated piece connecting the two halves of a bean pod.4. short for stringboard.5. a hypothetical one-dimensional subatomic particle having the dynamical properties of a flexible loop. ∎  (also cosmic string) (in cosmology) a hypothetical threadlike concentration of energy within the structure of space-time.• v. (past strung / strəng/ ) 1. [tr.] hang (something) so that it stretches in a long line: lights were strung across the promenade. ∎  thread (a series of small objects) on a string: he collected stones with holes in them and strung them on a strong cord. ∎  (be strung) be arranged in a long line: the houses were strung along the road. ∎  (string something together) add items to one another to form a series or coherent whole: he can't string two sentences together.2. [tr.] fit a string or strings to (a musical instrument, a racket, or a bow): the harp had been newly strung.3. [tr.] remove the strings from (a bean).PHRASES: no strings attached inf. used to show that an offer or opportunity carries no special conditions or restrictions.on a string under one's control or influence: I've got the world on a string.PHRASAL VERBS: string along inf. stay with or accompany a person or group casually or as long as it is convenient.string someone along inf. mislead someone deliberately over a length of time, esp. about one's intentions: she had no plans to marry him—she was just stringing him along.string something out cause something to stretch out; prolong something. ∎  (string out) stretch out into a long line: the runners string out in a line across the road. ∎  (be strung out) be nervous or tense: I often felt strung out by daily stresses. ∎  (be strung out) be under the influence of alcohol or drugs: he died, strung out on booze and cocaine.string someone/something up hang something up on strings. ∎  kill someone by hanging.DERIVATIVES: string·less adj.string·like / -ˌlīk/ adj.

string
1. A flexible one-dimensional array, i.e. a flexible vector, of symbols where the lower bound of the vector is fixed at unity but the upper bound, i.e. the string length, may vary.

2. A type of input to a graphics system consisting of a sequence of characters. The usual input device is a keyboard. See also logical input device.

3. Any one-dimensional array of characters. In formal language theory a string is often referred to as a word. See also sequence.

String

a line or series of things or animals.

Examples : string of arguments; of ballads, 1710; of barges, 1885; of beads, 1687; of coral beads, 1620; of birds (flying in a single line), 1813; of camels, 1717; of captives, 1910; of carriages, 1820; of empty carriages, 1849; of cash, 1902; of codling, 1891; of doggerel, 1870; of elephants, 1814; of error, 1685; of excuses; of facts, 1859; of flounders, 1737; of gabble, 1858; of geese, 1801; of herrings, 1732; of horses, 1686; of houses, 1843; of islands, 1788; of lies; of life, 1577; of lumber (logs fastened together to be carried down river), 1874; of mules, 1764; of oaths, 1902; of onions, 1834; of packhorses, 1842; of pearls, 1488; of ponies; of questions, 1797; of racehorses, 1809; of rafts, 1885; of resolutions, 1772; of sausages, 1830; of schoolboys, 1830; of slaves, 1734; of stories, 1713; of teal, 1889; of violinists—Lipton, 1970; of visits, 1839; of waters, 1683; of words.

string1 line, cord OE.; number of things strung together XV. OE. streng = MLG. strenge, MDu. strenc, stranc, OHG. stranc, ON. strengr :- Gmc. *straŋʒiz (see STRONG).
Hence string² pt., pp. strung fit (a bow) with its string XVI (isolated ex. of pp. ystrenged XIV); make tense XVI; bind (as) with string XVII. f. prec. stringed (-ED 2) having a string or strings. First in OE. tȳnstrenged ten-stringed (Psalm 91: 4). stringy (-Y1) XVII.

string
1. (flyer) Up to 10 geophones which are connected together permanently but have only one lead on to the seismic cable.

2. (drill string) The rods (flights) and tools from the drill collar to the bit which, when connected together, enable a borehole to be drilled.