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strand

STRAND/stɹænd/

Pluralstrands

Verbstrands, stranding, stranded

15 meanings of strand

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  1. 1
    nouncountable
    One thin piece of hair, thread, or wire, often twisted together with others to make rope or cable.

    Like one single thread pulled out from a piece of cloth.

    A strand of hair fell across her face.

    She pulled a few loose strands from her sweater.

    UsageSay a strand of hair.

    Similarthread, fiber, filament

  2. 2
    leave helplessverbfigurativelytransitive
    To leave someone behind in a hard spot with no easy way out.

    Like being left alone far from home with no way to get back.

    A broken bus can strand you in a small town overnight.

    The storm stranded hundreds of travelers at the airport.

    UsagePeople often say they were stranded or got stranded.

    Similarabandon, maroon, desert, leave, forsake

    Oppositerescue, save

  3. 3
    part of wholenounfigurativelycountable
    One part of a larger story, plan, or set of ideas that connects to others.

    Like one path in a story that joins up with the others at the end.

    The detective followed one strand of the case to its source.

    Several strands of the argument came together in the final chapter.

    UsageSay one strand of a story or argument.

    Similarthread, element, aspect, component, line

    Note
  4. 4
    DNA chainnouncountable
    A single chain of the building blocks that form DNA or RNA.

    Like one side of a zipper that fits together with the other side.

    Each strand of DNA carries genetic information.

    Scientists separated the two strands to copy the gene.

    Similarchain

    Note
  5. 5
    nouncountable
    The land along the edge of the sea, a lake, or a river. A beach.

    Like the sandy edge where the sea meets the land.

    They walked along the strand at low tide.

    Fishing boats were pulled up onto the strand at dusk.

    Similarshore, beach, seashore

    Note
  6. 6
    run agroundverbtransitive
    To push or drive a boat onto the shore so it cannot move.

    Like pushing a toy boat up onto the sand so it stops floating.

    High winds can strand a sailboat on the rocks near the harbor.

    Strong waves stranded the small fishing boat on the rocks.

    Similarbeach, ground

    Oppositerefloat, launch

    Note
  7. 7
    baseballverbtransitive
    In baseball, to leave a runner on base without scoring when that half of the inning ends.

    Like leaving a friend waiting at a bus stop after the bus drives off.

    He popped out and stranded his teammate on second base.

    A quick double play can strand a runner who was about to score.

    Similarleave

    Note
  8. 8
    TV seriesnouncountable
    A set of TV or radio shows linked by one theme or topic.

    Like a group of TV shows that all belong to the same family.

    The channel ran a strand of nature shows every Sunday.

    She produces a documentary strand about local history.

    Similarseries, slot, banner, block

    Note

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Origins

Meanings 2, 5–7, 9

From Old English strand, meaning shore or sea-shore. The 'street' meaning perhaps comes from a similarity of shape.

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 2 facts

  • English strand derives from Old English strand, meaning shore or sea-shore. en.wiktionary.org
  • The street meaning may have arisen through similarity of shape. en.wiktionary.org
Meanings 1, 3–4, 8, 10–11

Origin uncertain. It may be the same as strand meaning a stream, or perhaps from Old French estran ("a rope, cord").

Checked 1 Nov 2026 · 3 facts