The Gutenberg Webster's Unabridged Dictionary
Chapter 1645
Strap bolt , a bolt of which one end is a flat bar of considerable length. -- Strap head (Mach.) , a journal box, or pair of brasses, secured to the end of a connecting rod by a strap. See Illust . of Gib and key , under Gib . -- Strap hinge , a hinge with long flaps by which it is fastened, as to a door or wall. -- Strap rail (Railroads) , a flat rail formerly used.
Strap <Xpage=1423>
Strap , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Strapped (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Strapping .] 1. To beat or chastise with a strap.
2. To fasten or bind with a strap.
Cowper.
3. To sharpen by rubbing on a strap, or strop; as, to strap a razor .
Strappado <Xpage=1423>
Strap*pa"do (?) , n. ; pl. Strappadoes (#) . [It. strappata a pull, the strappado, from strappare to pull, from Prov. G. strapfen : cf. G. straff tense, stretched.] A military punishment formerly practiced, which consisted in drawing an offender to the top of a beam and letting him fall to the length of the rope, by which means a limb was often dislocated.
Shak.
Strappado <Xpage=1423>
Strap*pa"do , v. t. To punish or torture by the strappado.
Milton.
Strapper <Xpage=1423>
Strap"per (?) , n. 1. One who uses strap.
2. A person or thing of uncommon size. [Colloq.]
Strapping <Xpage=1423>
Strap"ping (?) , a. Tall; strong; lusty; large; as, a strapping fellow . [Colloq.]
There are five and thirty strapping officers gone. Farquhar.
Strapple <Xpage=1423>
Strap"ple (?) , v. t. To hold or bind with, or as with, a strap; to entangle. [Obs.]
Chapman.
Strap-shaped <Xpage=1423>
Strap"-shaped` (?) , a. Shaped like a strap; ligulate; as, a strap-shaped corolla .
Strapwork <Xpage=1423>
Strap"work` (?) , n. (Arch.) A kind of ornament consisting of a narrow fillet or band folded, crossed, and interlaced.
Strass <Xpage=1423>
Strass (?) , n. [So called from its inventor, a German jeweler: cf. F. stras .] (Chem.) A brilliant glass, used in the manufacture of artificial paste gems, which consists essentially of a complex borosilicate of lead and potassium. Cf. Glass .
Strata <Xpage=1423>
Stra"ta (?) , n. , pl. of Stratum .
Stratagem <Xpage=1423>
Strat"a*gem (?) , n. [F. stratag\'8ame (cf. Sp. estratagema , It. stratagemma ), L. strategema , Gr. <?/, fr. <?/ to be leader of an army, fr. <?/ a general; <?/ an army (probably as being spread out; cf. Stratum ) + <?/ to lead. See Agent .] An artifice or trick in war for deceiving the enemy; hence, in general, artifice; deceptive device; secret plot; evil machination.
Fit for treasons, stratagems , and spoils. Shak.
Those oft are stratagems which error seem, Nor is it Homer nods, but we that dream. Pope.
Stratagemical <Xpage=1423>
Strat`a*gem"ic*al (?) , a. Containing stratagem; as, a stratagemical epistle . [R.]
Swift.
Stratarithmetry <Xpage=1423>
Strat`a*rith"me*try (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ army + <?/ number + -metry .] (Mil.) The art of drawing up an army, or any given number of men, in any geometrical figure, or of estimating or expressing the number of men in such a figure.
Strategetic, Strategetical <Xpage=1423>
Strat`e*get"ic (?) , Strat`e*get"ic*al (?) , a. Strategic.
Strategetics <Xpage=1423>
Strat`e*get"ics (?) , n. Strategy.
Strategic, Strategical <Xpage=1423>
Stra*te"gic (?) , Stra*te"gic*al , a. [Gr. <?/ of or for a general: cf. F. strat\'82gique .] Of or pertaining to strategy; effected by artifice. -- Stra*te"gic*al*ly , adv.
Strategic line (Mil.) , a line joining strategic points. -- Strategic point (Mil.) , any point or region in the theater or warlike operations which affords to its possessor an advantage over his opponent, as a mountain pass, a junction of rivers or roads, a fortress, etc.
Strategics <Xpage=1423>
Stra*te"gics (?) , n. Strategy.
Strategist <Xpage=1423>
Strat"e*gist (?) , n. [Cf. F. strat\'82giste .] One skilled in strategy, or the science of directing great military movements.
Strategus <Xpage=1423>
Stra*te"gus (?) , n. ; pl. Strategi (#) . [L., fr. Gr. <?/. See Stratagem .] (Gr. Antiq.) The leader or commander of an army; a general.
Strategy <Xpage=1423>
Strat"e*gy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/: cf. F. strat\'82gie . See Stratagem .] 1. The science of military command, or the science of projecting campaigns and directing great military movements; generalship.
2. The use of stratagem or artifice.
<-- 3. a plan of action encompassing the methods to be adopted from beginning to end of a task or endeavor, focussing on the general methods; -- contrasted with tactics, which is a plan for accomplishing subgoals of lesser extent than the primary goal. Thus, a strategy is a plan for winning a war, and a tactic is a plan for winning a battle. 4. Biol. A behavior evolved and exhibited by a living organism to accomplish some important goal, as a foraging strategy. -->
Strath <Xpage=1423>
Strath (?) , n. [Gael. srath .] A valley of considerable size, through which a river runs; a valley bottom; -- often used in composition with the name of the river; as, Strath Spey, Strath don, Strath more . [Scot.]
The long green strath of Napa valley. R. L. Stevenson.
Strathspey <Xpage=1423>
Strath"spey` (?) , n. [So called from the district of Strath Spey in Scotland.] A lively Scottish dance, resembling the reel, but slower; also, the tune.
Straticulate <Xpage=1423>
Stra*tic"u*late (?) , a. [Dim. Fr. stratum .] (Min.) Characterized by the presence of thin parallel strata, or layers, as in an agate.
Stratification <Xpage=1423>
Strat`i*fi*ca"tion (?) , n. [Cf. F. stratification .] 1. The act or process of laying in strata, or the state of being laid in the form of strata, or layers.
2. (Physiol.) The deposition of material in successive layers in the growth of a cell wall, thus giving rise to a stratified appearance.
Stratified <Xpage=1423>
Strat"i*fied (?) , a. Having its substance arranged in strata, or layers; as, stratified rock .
Stratiform <Xpage=1423>
Strat"i*form (?) , a. Having the form of strata.
Stratify <Xpage=1423>
Strat"i*fy (?) , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Stratified (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Stratifying (?) .] [ Stratum + -fy : cf. F. stratifier .] To form or deposit in strata, or layers, as substances in the earth; to arrange in strata.
Stratigraphic, Stratigraphical <Xpage=1423>
Strat`i*graph"ic (?) , Strat`i*graph"ic*al (?) , a. (Geol.) Pertaining to, or depended upon, the order or arrangement of strata; as, stratigraphical evidence . -- Strat`i*graph"ic*al*ly , adv.
Stratigraphic, -ical <Xpage=1423>
Strat`i*graph"ic , -ic*al , a. (Mil.) See Stratographic .
Stratigraphy <Xpage=1423>
Stra*tig"ra*phy (?) , n. [ Stratum + -graphy .] That branch of geology which treats of the arrangement and succession of strata.
Stratocracy <Xpage=1423>
Stra*toc"ra*cy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ an army + -cracy , as in demo cracy : cf. F. stratocratie .] A military government; government by military chiefs and an army.
Stratographic, Stratographical <Xpage=1423>
Strat`o*graph"ic (?) , Strat`o*graph"ic*al (?) , a. Of or pertaining to stratography.
Stratography <Xpage=1423>
Stra*tog"ra*phy (?) , n. [Gr. <?/ an army + -graphy .] A description of an army, or of what belongs to an army.
Stratonic <Xpage=1423>
Stra*ton"ic (?) , a. [Gr. <?/ an army.] Of or pertaining to an army. [R.]
Stratotic <Xpage=1423>
Stra*tot"ic (?) , a. Warlike; military. [R.]
Stratum <Xpage=1423>
Stra"tum (?) , n. ; pl. E. Stratums (#) , L. Strata (#) . The latter is more common . [L., from sternere , stratum , to spread; akin to Gr. <?/ to spread, strew. See Strew , and cf. Consternation , Estrade , Prostrate , Stratus , Street .] 1. (Geol.) A bed of earth or rock of one kind, formed by natural causes, and consisting usually of a series of layers, which form a rock as it lies between beds of other kinds. Also used figuratively.
2. A bed or layer artificially made; a course.
Stratus <Xpage=1423>
Stra"tus (?) , n. [L. stratus a spreading out, scattering, from sternere , stratum , to spread.] (Meteor.) A form of clouds in which they are arranged in a horizontal band or layer. See Cloud .
Straught <Xpage=1423>
Straught (?) , obs. imp. & p. p. of Stretch .
Straught <Xpage=1423>
Straught , v. t. To stretch; to make straight. [Written also straucht .] [Scot.]
Sir W. Scott.
Straw <Xpage=1423>
Straw (?) , v. t. To spread or scatter. See Strew , and Strow .
Chaucer.
Straw <Xpage=1423>
Straw , n. [OE. straw , stre , stree , AS. stre\'a0w , from the root of E. strew ; akin to OFries. str\'c7 , D. stroo , G. stroh , OHG. str\'d3 , Icel. str\'be , Dan. straa , Sw. str\'86 . \'fb166. See Strew .] 1. A stalk or stem of certain species of grain, pulse, etc., especially of wheat, rye, oats, barley, more rarely of buckwheat, beans, and pease.
2. The gathered and thrashed stalks of certain species of grain, etc.; as, a bundle, or a load, of rye straw .
3. Anything proverbially worthless; the least possible thing; a mere trifle.
I set not a straw by thy dreamings. Chaucer.
&hand; Straw is often used in the formation of self-explaining compounds; as, straw -built, straw -crowned, straw -roofed, straw -stuffed, and the like.
Man of straw , an effigy formed by stuffing the garments of a man with straw; hence, a fictitious person; an irresponsible person; a puppet. <-- now usu. straw man, as in set up a straw man ; -- used in disputation. Typically, one party accuses an opponent of setting up a straw man , meaning that the opponent is distorting his true opinion in order to make it look absurd. --> -- Straw bail , worthless bail, as being given by irresponsible persons. [Colloq. U.S.] -- Straw bid , a worthless bid; a bid for a contract which the bidder is unable or unwilling to fulfill. [Colloq. U.S.] -- Straw cat (Zo\'94l.) , the pampas cat. -- Straw color , the color of dry straw, being a delicate yellow. -- Straw drain , a drain filled with straw. -- Straw plait , ∨ Straw plat , a strip formed by plaiting straws, used for making hats, bonnets, etc. -- To be in the straw , to be brought to bed, as a pregnant woman. [Slang] <-- archaic? Similar is "a roll in the hay" -->
Strawberry <Xpage=1423>
Straw"ber*ry (?) , n. [AS. stre\'a0wberige ; stre\'a0w straw + berie berry; perhaps from the resemblance of the runners of the plant to straws.] (Bot.) A fragrant edible berry, of a delicious taste and commonly of a red color, the fruit of a plant of the genus Fragaria , of which there are many varieties. Also, the plant bearing the fruit. The common American strawberry is Fragaria virginiana ; the European, F. vesca . There are also other less common species.
Strawberry bass . (Zo\'94l.) See Calico bass , under Calico . -- Strawberry blite . (Bot.) See under Blite . -- Strawberry borer (Zo\'94l.) , any one of several species of insects whose larv\'91 burrow in the crown or roots of the strawberry vine. Especially: (a) The root borer ( Anarsia lineatella ), a very small dark gray moth whose larv\'91 burrow both in the larger roots and crown, often doing great damage. (b) The crown borer ( Tyloderma fragari\'91 ), a small brown weevil whose larva burrows in the crown and kills the plant. -- Strawberry bush (Bot.) , an American shrub ( Euonymus Americanus ), a kind of spindle tree having crimson pods and the seeds covered with a scarlet aril. -- Strawberry crab (Zo\'94l.) , a small European spider crab ( Eurynome aspera ); -- so called because the back is covered with pink tubercles. -- Strawberry fish (Zo\'94l.) , the amadavat. -- Strawberry geranium (Bot.) , a kind of saxifrage ( Saxifraga sarmentosa ) having reniform leaves, and producing long runners like those of the strawberry. -- Strawberry leaf . (a) The leaf of the strawberry . (b) The symbol of the rank or estate of a duke, because the ducal coronet is twined with strawberry leaves . "The strawberry leaves on her chariot panels are engraved on her ladyship's heart." Thackeray . -- Strawberry-leaf roller (Zo\'94l.) , any one of several species of moths whose larv\'91 roll up, and feed upon, the leaves of the strawberry vine; especially, Phoxopteris fragari\'91 , and Eccopsis permundana . -- Strawberry moth (Zo\'94l.) , any one of several species of moth whose larv\'91 feed on the strawberry vines ; as: (a) The smeared dagger ( Apatela oblinita ), whose large hairy larva is velvety black with two rows of bright yellow spots on each side. (b) A geometrid ( Angerona crocataria ) which is yellow with dusky spots on the wings. Called also currant moth . -- Strawberry pear (Bot.) , the red ovoid fruit of a West Indian plant of the genus Cereus ( C. triangularia ). It has a sweetish flavor, and is slightly acid, pleasant, and cooling. Also, the plant bearing the fruit. -- Strawberry sawfly (Zo\'94l.) , a small black sawfly ( Emphytus maculatus ) whose larva eats the leaves of the strawberry vine. -- Strawberry tomato . (Bot.) See Alkekengi . -- Strawberry tree . (Bot.) See Arbutus . -- Strawberry vine (Bot.) , the plant which yields the strawberry. -- Strawberry worm (Zo\'94l.) , the larva of any moth which feeds on the strawberry vine.
Strawboard <Xpage=1423>
Straw"board` (?) , n. Pasteboard made of pulp of straw.
Straw-colored <Xpage=1423>
Straw"-col`ored (?) , a. Being of a straw color. See Straw color , under Straw , n.
Straw-cutter <Xpage=1423>
Straw"-cut`ter (?) , n. An instrument to cut straw for fodder.
Strawed <Xpage=1423>
Strawed (?) , imp. & p. p. of Straw . [Obs.]
Strawworm <Xpage=1423>
Straw"worm` (?) , n. A caddice worm.
Strawy <Xpage=1423>
Straw"y (?) , a. Of or pertaining to straw; made of, or resembling, straw.
Shak.
Stray <Xpage=1423>
Stray (?) , v. i. [ imp. & p. p. Strayed (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Straying .] [OF. estraier , estraer , to stray, or as adj., stray, fr. (assumed) L. stratarius roving the streets, fr. L. strata (sc. via ) a paved road. See Street , and Stray , a. ] 1. To wander, as from a direct course; to deviate, or go out of the way.
Thames among the wanton valleys strays . Denham.
2. To wander from company, or from the proper limits; to rove at large; to roam; to go astray.
Now, until the break of day, Through this house each fairy stray . Shak.
A sheep doth very often stray . Shak.
3. Figuratively, to wander from the path of duty or rectitude; to err.
We have erred and strayed from thy ways. <?/<?/<?/ of Com. Prayer.
While meaner things, whom instinct leads, Are rarely known to stray . Cowper.
Syn. -- To deviate; err; swerve; rove; roam; wander.
Stray <Xpage=1423>
Stray , v. t. To cause to stray. [Obs.]
Shak.
Stray <Xpage=1423>
Stray , a. [Cf. OF. estrai\'82 , p.p. of estraier . See Stray , v. i. , and cf. Astray , Estray .] Having gone astray; strayed; wandering; as, a stray horse or sheep .
Stray line (Naut.) , that portion of the log line which is veered from the reel to allow the chip to get clear of the stern eddies before the glass is turned. -- Stray mark (Naut.) , the mark indicating the end of the stray line.
Stray <Xpage=1423>
Stray , n. 1. Any domestic animal that has an inclosure, or its proper place and company, and wanders at large, or is lost; an estray. Used also figuratively.
Seeing him wander about, I took him up for a stray . Dryden.
2. The act of wandering or going astray. [R.]
Shak.
<page="1424"> Page 1424
Strayer <Xpage=1424>
Stray"er (?) , n. One who strays; a wanderer.
Stre <Xpage=1424>
Stre (?) , n. Straw. [Obs.]
Chaucer.
Streak <Xpage=1424>
Streak (?) , v. t. [Cf. Stretch , Streek .] To stretch; to extend; hence, to lay out, as a dead body. [Obs. or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]
Streak <Xpage=1424>
Streak , n. [OE. streke ; akin to D. streek a line, stroke, G. strich , AS. strica , Sw. strek , Dan. streg , Goth. stricks , and E. strike , stroke . See Strike , Stroke , n. , and cf. Strake .] 1. A line or long mark of a different color from the ground; a stripe; a vein.
What mean those colored streaks in heaven? Milton.
2. (Shipbuilding) A strake.
3. (Min.) The fine powder or mark yielded by a mineral when scratched or rubbed against a harder surface, the color of which is sometimes a distinguishing character.
4. The rung or round of a ladder. [Obs.]
Streak <Xpage=1424>
Streak , v. t. [ imp. & p. p. Streaked (?) ; p. pr. & vb. n. Streaking .] 1. To form streaks or stripes in or on; to stripe; to variegate with lines of a different color, or of different colors.
A mule . . . streaked and dappled with white and black. Sandys.
Now streaked and glowing with the morning red. Prior.
2. With it as an object: To run swiftly. [Colloq.]
Streaked <Xpage=1424>
Streaked (?) , a. 1. Marked or variegated with stripes.
2. Uncomfortable; out of sorts. [Local, U.S.]
Streaky <Xpage=1424>