6 letter word starting with st

Words Parts of Speech Meaning/Definition/Similar Words
stable verb i. Firmly established; not easily moved, shaken, or overthrown; fixed; as, a stable government., Steady in purpose; constant; firm in resolution; not easily diverted from a purpose; not fickle or wavering; as, a man of stable character., Durable; not subject to overthrow or change; firm; as, a stable foundation; a stable position., To fix; to establish., A house, shed, or building, for beasts to lodge and feed in; esp., a building or apartment with stalls, for horses; as, a horse stable; a cow stable., To put or keep in a stable., To dwell or lodge in a stable; to dwell in an inclosed place; to kennel.
stably adverb In a stable manner; firmly; fixedly; steadily; as, a government stably settled.
stacte noun One of the sweet spices used by the ancient Jews in the preparation of incense. It was perhaps an oil or other form of myrrh or cinnamon, or a kind of storax.
stadia plural of Stadium
staves plural of Staff, pl. of Staff., pl. of Stave.
staffs plural of Staff, of Staff
stager noun A player., One who has long acted on the stage of life; a practitioner; a person of experience, or of skill derived from long experience., A horse used in drawing a stage.
staith noun A landing place; an elevated staging upon a wharf for discharging coal, etc., as from railway cars, into vessels.
staked imp. & past participle of Stake
staled imp. & past participle of Stale
stalky adjective Hard as a stalk; resembling a stalk.
stamen noun A thread; especially, a warp thread., The male organ of flowers for secreting and furnishing the pollen or fecundating dust. It consists of the anther and filament.
stamin noun A kind of woolen cloth.
stance noun A stanza., A station; a position; a site.
stanch verb t. To stop the flowing of, as blood; to check; also, to stop the flowing of blood from; as, to stanch a wound., To extinguish; to quench, as fire or thirst., To cease, as the flowing of blood., That which stanches or checks., A flood gate by which water is accumulated, for floating a boat over a shallow part of a stream by its release., Strong and tight; sound; firm; as, a stanch ship., Firm in principle; constant and zealous; loyal; hearty; steady; steadfast; as, a stanch churchman; a stanch friend or adherent., Close; secret; private., To prop; to make stanch, or strong.
stanza noun A number of lines or verses forming a division of a song or poem, and agreeing in meter, rhyme, number of lines, etc., with other divisions; a part of a poem, ordinarily containing every variation of measure in that poem; a combination or arrangement of lines usually recurring; whether like or unlike, in measure., An apartment or division in a building; a room or chamber.
stapes noun The innermost of the ossicles of the ear; the stirrup, or stirrup bone; — so called from its form. See Illust. of Ear.
staple noun A settled mart; an emporium; a city or town to which merchants brought commodities for sale or exportation in bulk; a place for wholesale traffic., Hence: Place of supply; source; fountain head., The principal commodity of traffic in a market; a principal commodity or production of a country or district; as, wheat, maize, and cotton are great staples of the United States., The principal constituent in anything; chief item., Unmanufactured material; raw material., The fiber of wool, cotton, flax, or the like; as, a coarse staple; a fine staple; a long or short staple., A loop of iron, or a bar or wire, bent and formed with two points to be driven into wood, to hold a hook, pin, or the like., A shaft, smaller and shorter than the principal one, joining different levels., A small pit., A district granted to an abbey., Pertaining to, or being market of staple for, commodities; as, a staple town., Established in commerce; occupying the markets; settled; as, a staple trade., Fit to be sold; marketable., Regularly produced or manufactured in large quantities; belonging to wholesale traffic; principal; chief., To sort according to its staple; as, to staple cotton.
starch adjective Stiff; precise; rigid., A widely diffused vegetable substance found especially in seeds, bulbs, and tubers, and extracted (as from potatoes, corn, rice, etc.) as a white, glistening, granular or powdery substance, without taste or smell, and giving a very peculiar creaking sound when rubbed between the fingers. It is used as a food, in the production of commercial grape sugar, for stiffening linen in laundries, in making paste, etc., Fig.: A stiff, formal manner; formality., To stiffen with starch.
stared imp. & past participle of Stare
starer noun One who stares, or gazes.
starry adjective Abounding with stars; adorned with stars., Consisting of, or proceeding from, the stars; stellar; stellary; as, starry light; starry flame., Shining like stars; sparkling; as, starry eyes., Arranged in rays like those of a star; stellate.
starve verb i. To die; to perish., To perish with hunger; to suffer extreme hunger or want; to be very indigent., To perish or die with cold., To destroy with cold., To kill with hunger; as, maliciously to starve a man is, in law, murder., To distress or subdue by famine; as, to starvea garrison into a surrender., To destroy by want of any kind; as, to starve plans by depriving them of proper light and air., To deprive of force or vigor; to disable.
stasis noun A slackening or arrest of the blood current in the vessels, due not to a lessening of the heart’s beat, but presumably to some abnormal resistance of the capillary walls. It is one of the phenomena observed in the capillaries in inflammation.
statal adjective Of, pertaining to, or existing with reference to, a State of the American Union, as distinguished from the general government.
stated imp. & past participle of State, Settled; established; fixed., Recurring at regular time; not occasional; as, stated preaching; stated business hours.
stater noun One who states., The principal gold coin of ancient Grece. It varied much in value, the stater best known at Athens being worth about £1 2s., or about $5.35. The Attic silver tetradrachm was in later times called stater.
static adjective Alt. of Statical
statua noun A statue.
statue noun The likeness of a living being sculptured or modeled in some solid substance, as marble, bronze, or wax; an image; as, a statue of Hercules, or of a lion., A portrait., To place, as a statue; to form a statue of; to make into a statue.
status noun State; condition; position of affairs.
staved imp. & past participle of Stave
stayed imp. & past participle of Stay, Staid; fixed; settled; sober; — now written staid. See Staid.
stayer noun One who upholds or supports that which props; one who, or that which, stays, stops, or restrains; also, colloquially, a horse, man, etc., that has endurance, an a race.
steady noun Firm in standing or position; not tottering or shaking; fixed; firm., Constant in feeling, purpose, or pursuit; not fickle, changeable, or wavering; not easily moved or persuaded to alter a purpose; resolute; as, a man steady in his principles, in his purpose, or in the pursuit of an object., Regular; constant; undeviating; uniform; as, the steady course of the sun; a steady breeze of wind., To make steady; to hold or keep from shaking, reeling, or falling; to make or keep firm; to support; to make constant, regular, or resolute., To become steady; to regain a steady position or state; to move steadily.
stolen past participle of Steal, p. p. of Steal.
steamy adjective Consisting of, or resembling, steam; full of steam; vaporous; misty.
steely adjective Made of steel; consisting of steel., Resembling steel; hard; firm; having the color of steel.
steepy adjective Steep; precipitous.
steeve verb i. To project upward, or make an angle with the horizon or with the line of a vessel’s keel; — said of the bowsprit, etc., To elevate or fix at an angle with the horizon; — said of the bowsprit, etc., To stow, as bales in a vessel’s hold, by means of a steeve. See Steeve, n. (b)., The angle which a bowsprit makes with the horizon, or with the line of the vessel’s keel; — called also steeving., A spar, with a block at one end, used in stowing cotton bales, and similar kinds of cargo which need to be packed tightly.
stelae plural of Stela
stemma noun One of the ocelli of an insect. See Ocellus., One of the facets of a compound eye of any arthropod.
stemmy adjective Abounding in stems, or mixed with stems; — said of tea, dried currants, etc.
stench verb t. To stanch., A smell; an odor., An ill smell; an offensive odor; a stink., To cause to emit a disagreeable odor; to cause to stink.
stente obs. imp. of Stent
steppe noun One of the vast plains in Southeastern Europe and in Asia, generally elevated, and free from wood, analogous to many of the prairies in Western North America. See Savanna.
sterna plural of Sternum
sterre noun A star.
sterte p. p. of Start.
sterve verb t. & i. To die, or cause to die; to perish. See Starve.
steven noun Voice; speech; language., An outcry; a loud call; a clamor.
stewed imp. & past participle of Stew
stibic adjective Antimonic; — used with reference to certain compounds of antimony.
sticky superl. Having the quality of sticking to a surface; adhesive; gluey; viscous; viscid; glutinous; tenacious.
stiddy noun An anvil; also, a smith shop. See Stithy.
stifle noun The joint next above the hock, and near the flank, in the hind leg of the horse and allied animals; the joint corresponding to the knee in man; — called also stifle joint. See Illust. under Horse., To stop the breath of by crowding something into the windpipe, or introducing an irrespirable substance into the lungs; to choke; to suffocate; to cause the death of by such means; as, to stifle one with smoke or dust., To stop; to extinguish; to deaden; to quench; as, to stifle the breath; to stifle a fire or flame., To suppress the manifestation or report of; to smother; to conceal from public knowledge; as, to stifle a story; to stifle passion., To die by reason of obstruction of the breath, or because some noxious substance prevents respiration.
stigma verb t. A mark made with a burning iron; a brand., Any mark of infamy or disgrace; sign of moral blemish; stain or reproach caused by dishonorable conduct; reproachful characterization., That part of a pistil which has no epidermis, and is fitted to receive the pollen. It is usually the terminal portion, and is commonly somewhat glutinous or viscid. See Illust. of Stamen and of Flower., A small spot, mark, scar, or a minute hole; — applied especially to a spot on the outer surface of a Graafian follicle, and to spots of intercellular substance in scaly epithelium, or to minute holes in such spots., A red speck upon the skin, produced either by the extravasation of blood, as in the bloody sweat characteristic of certain varieties of religious ecstasy, or by capillary congestion, as in the case of drunkards., One of the external openings of the tracheae of insects, myriapods, and other arthropods; a spiracle., One of the apertures of the pulmonary sacs of arachnids. See Illust. of Scorpion., One of the apertures of the gill of an ascidian, and of Amphioxus., A point so connected by any law whatever with another point, called an index, that as the index moves in any manner in a plane the first point or stigma moves in a determinate way in the same plane., Marks believed to have been supernaturally impressed upon the bodies of certain persons in imitation of the wounds on the crucified body of Christ. See def. 5, above.
stilar adjective Of or pertaining to the style of a dial.
stilet noun A stiletto., See Stylet, 2.
stilly adjective Still; quiet; calm., In a still manner; quietly; silently; softly.
stilty adjective Unreasonably elevated; pompous; stilted; as, a stilty style.
stingo noun Old beer; sharp or strong liquor.
stingy adjective Stinging; able to sting., Extremely close and covetous; meanly avaricious; niggardly; miserly; penurious; as, a stingy churl.
stipel noun The stipule of a leaflet.
stipes noun The second joint of a maxilla of an insect or a crustacean., An eyestalk.
stirps noun Stock; race; family., A race, or a fixed and permanent variety.
stirte imp. of Start, v. i. & t.
stitch verb i. A single pass of a needle in sewing; the loop or turn of the thread thus made., A single turn of the thread round a needle in knitting; a link, or loop, of yarn; as, to let down, or drop, a stitch; to take up a stitch., A space of work taken up, or gone over, in a single pass of the needle; hence, by extension, any space passed over; distance., A local sharp pain; an acute pain, like the piercing of a needle; as, a stitch in the side., A contortion, or twist., Any least part of a fabric or dress; as, to wet every stitch of clothes., A furrow., To form stitches in; especially, to sew in such a manner as to show on the surface a continuous line of stitches; as, to stitch a shirt bosom., To sew, or unite together by stitches; as, to stitch printed sheets in making a book or a pamphlet., To form land into ridges., To practice stitching, or needlework.
stithy noun An anvil., A smith’s shop; a smithy; a smithery; a forge., To forge on an anvil.
stived imp. & past participle of Stive
stiver noun A Dutch coin, and money of account, of the value of two cents, or about one penny sterling; hence, figuratively, anything of little worth.
stives noun pl. Stews; a brothel.
stocah noun A menial attendant.
stocky adjective Short and thick; thick rather than tall or corpulent., Headstrong.
stodgy adjective Wet.
stoker verb t. One who is employed to tend a furnace and supply it with fuel, especially the furnace of a locomotive or of a marine steam boiler; also, a machine for feeding fuel to a fire., A fire poker.
stokey adjective Close; sultry.
stolae plural of Stola
stoled adjective Having or wearing a stole.
stolid adjective Hopelessly insensible or stupid; not easily aroused or excited; dull; impassive; foolish.
stolon noun A trailing branch which is disposed to take root at the end or at the joints; a stole., An extension of the integument of the body, or of the body wall, from which buds are developed, giving rise to new zooids, and thus forming a compound animal in which the zooids usually remain united by the stolons. Such stolons are often present in Anthozoa, Hydroidea, Bryozoa, and social ascidians. See Illust. under Scyphistoma.
stoned imp. & past participle of Stone
stoner noun One who stones; one who makes an assault with stones., One who walls with stones.
stoped imp. & past participle of Stope
stopen past participle Stepped; gone; advanced.
storax noun Any one of a number of similar complex resins obtained from the bark of several trees and shrubs of the Styrax family. The most common of these is liquid storax, a brown or gray semifluid substance of an agreeable aromatic odor and balsamic taste, sometimes used in perfumery, and in medicine as an expectorant.
stored imp. & past participle of Store, Collected or accumulated as a reserve supply; as, stored electricity.
storer noun One who lays up or forms a store.
storey noun See Story.
storge noun Parental affection; the instinctive affection which animals have for their young.
stormy superl. Characterized by, or proceeding from, a storm; subject to storms; agitated with furious winds; biosterous; tempestous; as, a stormy season; a stormy day or week., Proceeding from violent agitation or fury; as, a stormy sound; stormy shocks., Violent; passionate; rough; as, stormy passions.
stound verb i. To be in pain or sorrow., Stunned., A sudden, severe pain or grief; peril; alarm., Astonishment; amazement., Hour; time; season., A brief space of time; a moment., A vessel for holding small beer.
stoved imp. & past participle of Stove
stover noun Fodder for cattle, especially straw or coarse hay.
stowed imp. & past participle of Stow
stowce noun A windlass., A wooden landmark, to indicate possession of mining land.
stowre adjective See Stour, a., See Stour, n.
straik noun A strake.
strain noun Race; stock; generation; descent; family., Hereditary character, quality, or disposition., Rank; a sort., To draw with force; to extend with great effort; to stretch; as, to strain a rope; to strain the shrouds of a ship; to strain the cords of a musical instrument., To act upon, in any way, so as to cause change of form or volume, as forces on a beam to bend it., To exert to the utmost; to ply vigorously., To stretch beyond its proper limit; to do violence to, in the matter of intent or meaning; as, to strain the law in order to convict an accused person., To injure by drawing, stretching, or the exertion of force; as, the gale strained the timbers of the ship., To injure in the muscles or joints by causing to make too strong an effort; to harm by overexertion; to sprain; as, to strain a horse by overloading; to strain the wrist; to strain a muscle., To squeeze; to press closely., To make uneasy or unnatural; to produce with apparent effort; to force; to constrain., To urge with importunity; to press; as, to strain a petition or invitation., To press, or cause to pass, through a strainer, as through a screen, a cloth, or some porous substance; to purify, or separate from extraneous or solid matter, by filtration; to filter; as, to strain milk through cloth., To make violent efforts., To percolate; to be filtered; as, water straining through a sandy soil., The act of straining, or the state of being strained., A violent effort; an excessive and hurtful exertion or tension, as of the muscles; as, he lifted the weight with a strain; the strain upon a ship’s rigging in a gale; also, the hurt or injury resulting; a sprain., A change of form or dimensions of a solid or liquid mass, produced by a stress., A portion of music divided off by a double bar; a complete musical period or sentence; a movement, or any rounded subdivision of a movement., Any sustained note or movement; a song; a distinct portion of an ode or other poem; also, the pervading note, or burden, of a song, poem, oration, book, etc.; theme; motive; manner; style; also, a course of action or conduct; as, he spoke in a noble strain; there was a strain of woe in his story; a strain of trickery appears in his career., Turn; tendency; inborn disposition. Cf. 1st Strain.
strait adjective A variant of Straight., Narrow; not broad., Tight; close; closely fitting., Close; intimate; near; familiar., Strict; scrupulous; rigorous., Difficult; distressful; straited., Parsimonious; niggargly; mean., Strictly; rigorously., A narrow pass or passage., A (comparatively) narrow passageway connecting two large bodies of water; — often in the plural; as, the strait, or straits, of Gibraltar; the straits of Magellan; the strait, or straits, of Mackinaw., A neck of land; an isthmus., Fig.: A condition of narrowness or restriction; doubt; distress; difficulty; poverty; perplexity; — sometimes in the plural; as, reduced to great straits., To put to difficulties.
strake imp. of Strike., A streak., An iron band by which the fellies of a wheel are secured to each other, being not continuous, as the tire is, but made up of separate pieces., One breadth of planks or plates forming a continuous range on the bottom or sides of a vessel, reaching from the stem to the stern; a streak., A trough for washing broken ore, gravel, or sand; a launder.
strale noun Pupil of the eye.
strand noun One of the twists, or strings, as of fibers, wires, etc., of which a rope is composed., To break a strand of (a rope)., The shore, especially the beach of a sea, ocean, or large lake; rarely, the margin of a navigable river., To drive on a strand; hence, to run aground; as, to strand a ship., To drift, or be driven, on shore to run aground; as, the ship stranded at high water.
strang adjective Strong.
strany noun The guillemot.
strass noun 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 noun pl. of Stratum., of Stratum
strath noun 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, Strathdon, Strathmore.
strawy adjective Of or pertaining to straw; made of, or resembling, straw.
streak verb t. To stretch; to extend; hence, to lay out, as a dead body., A line or long mark of a different color from the ground; a stripe; a vein., A strake., 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., The rung or round of a ladder., To form streaks or stripes in or on; to stripe; to variegate with lines of a different color, or of different colors., With it as an object: To run swiftly.
stream noun A current of water or other fluid; a liquid flowing continuously in a line or course, either on the earth, as a river, brook, etc., or from a vessel, reservoir, or fountain; specifically, any course of running water; as, many streams are blended in the Mississippi; gas and steam came from the earth in streams; a stream of molten lead from a furnace; a stream of lava from a volcano., A beam or ray of light., Anything issuing or moving with continued succession of parts; as, a stream of words; a stream of sand., A continued current or course; as, a stream of weather., Current; drift; tendency; series of tending or moving causes; as, the stream of opinions or manners., To issue or flow in a stream; to flow freely or in a current, as a fluid or whatever is likened to fluids; as, tears streamed from her eyes., To pour out, or emit, a stream or streams., To issue in a stream of light; to radiate., To extend; to stretch out with a wavy motion; to float in the wind; as, a flag streams in the wind., To send forth in a current or stream; to cause to flow; to pour; as, his eyes streamed tears., To mark with colors or embroidery in long tracts., To unfurl.
streek verb t. To stretch; also, to lay out, as a dead body. See Streak.
streel verb i. To trail along; to saunter or be drawn along, carelessly, swaying in a kind of zigzag motion.
streen noun See Strene.
street adjective Originally, a paved way or road; a public highway; now commonly, a thoroughfare in a city or village, bordered by dwellings or business houses.
strein verb t. To strain.
streit adjective Drawn., Close; narrow; strict.
strene noun Race; offspring; stock; breed; strain.
stress noun Distress., Pressure, strain; — used chiefly of immaterial things; except in mechanics; hence, urgency; importance; weight; significance., The force, or combination of forces, which produces a strain; force exerted in any direction or manner between contiguous bodies, or parts of bodies, and taking specific names according to its direction, or mode of action, as thrust or pressure, pull or tension, shear or tangential stress., Force of utterance expended upon words or syllables. Stress is in English the chief element in accent and is one of the most important in emphasis. See Guide to pronunciation, // 31-35., Distress; the act of distraining; also, the thing distrained., To press; to urge; to distress; to put to difficulties., To subject to stress, pressure, or strain.
strewn past participle of Strew, p. p. of Strew.
striae plural of Stria
strich noun An owl.
strick noun A bunch of hackled flax prepared for drawing into slivers.
strict adjective Strained; drawn close; tight; as, a strict embrace; a strict ligature., Tense; not relaxed; as, a strict fiber., Exact; accurate; precise; rigorously nice; as, to keep strict watch; to pay strict attention., Governed or governing by exact rules; observing exact rules; severe; rigorous; as, very strict in observing the Sabbath., Rigidly; interpreted; exactly limited; confined; restricted; as, to understand words in a strict sense., Upright, or straight and narrow; — said of the shape of the plants or their flower clusters.
strode imp. of Stride, See Strude., imp. of Stride.
stride verb t. To walk with long steps, especially in a measured or pompous manner., To stand with the legs wide apart; to straddle., To pass over at a step; to step over., To straddle; to bestride., The act of stridding; a long step; the space measured by a long step; as, a masculine stride.
strife noun The act of striving; earnest endeavor., Exertion or contention for superiority; contest of emulation, either by intellectual or physical efforts., Altercation; violent contention; fight; battle., That which is contended against; occasion of contest.
struck imp. of Strike, of Strike, imp. & p. p. of Strike.
strike verb t. To touch or hit with some force, either with the hand or with an instrument; to smite; to give a blow to, either with the hand or with any instrument or missile., To come in collision with; to strike against; as, a bullet struck him; the wave struck the boat amidships; the ship struck a reef., To give, as a blow; to impel, as with a blow; to give a force to; to dash; to cast., To stamp or impress with a stroke; to coin; as, to strike coin from metal: to strike dollars at the mint., To thrust in; to cause to enter or penetrate; to set in the earth; as, a tree strikes its roots deep., To punish; to afflict; to smite., To cause to sound by one or more beats; to indicate or notify by audible strokes; as, the clock strikes twelve; the drums strike up a march., To lower; to let or take down; to remove; as, to strike sail; to strike a flag or an ensign, as in token of surrender; to strike a yard or a topmast in a gale; to strike a tent; to strike the centering of an arch., To make a sudden impression upon, as by a blow; to affect sensibly with some strong emotion; as, to strike the mind, with surprise; to strike one with wonder, alarm, dread, or horror., To affect in some particular manner by a sudden impression or impulse; as, the plan proposed strikes me favorably; to strike one dead or blind., To cause or produce by a stroke, or suddenly, as by a stroke; as, to strike a light., To cause to ignite; as, to strike a match., To make and ratify; as, to strike a bargain., To take forcibly or fraudulently; as, to strike money., To level, as a measure of grain, salt, or the like, by scraping off with a straight instrument what is above the level of the top., To cut off, as a mortar joint, even with the face of the wall, or inward at a slight angle., To hit upon, or light upon, suddenly; as, my eye struck a strange word; they soon struck the trail., To borrow money of; to make a demand upon; as, he struck a friend for five dollars., To lade into a cooler, as a liquor., To stroke or pass lightly; to wave., To advance; to cause to go forward; — used only in past participle., To move; to advance; to proceed; to take a course; as, to strike into the fields., To deliver a quick blow or thrust; to give blows., To hit; to collide; to dush; to clash; as, a hammer strikes against the bell of a clock., To sound by percussion, with blows, or as with blows; to be struck; as, the clock strikes., To make an attack; to aim a blow., To touch; to act by appulse., To run upon a rock or bank; to be stranded; as, the ship struck in the night., To pass with a quick or strong effect; to dart; to penetrate., To break forth; to commence suddenly; — with into; as, to strike into reputation; to strike into a run., To lower a flag, or colors, in token of respect, or to signify a surrender of a ship to an enemy., To quit work in order to compel an increase, or prevent a reduction, of wages., To become attached to something; — said of the spat of oysters., To steal money., The act of striking., An instrument with a straight edge for leveling a measure of grain, salt, and the like, scraping off what is above the level of the top; a strickle., A bushel; four pecks., An old measure of four bushels., Fullness of measure; hence, excellence of quality., An iron pale or standard in a gate or fence., The act of quitting work; specifically, such an act by a body of workmen, done as a means of enforcing compliance with demands made on their employer., A puddler’s stirrer., The horizontal direction of the outcropping edges of tilted rocks; or, the direction of a horizontal line supposed to be drawn on the surface of a tilted stratum. It is at right angles to the dip., The extortion of money, or the attempt to extort money, by threat of injury; blackmailing.
string noun A small cord, a line, a twine, or a slender strip of leather, or other substance, used for binding together, fastening, or tying things; a cord, larger than a thread and smaller than a rope; as, a shoe string; a bonnet string; a silken string., A thread or cord on which a number of objects or parts are strung or arranged in close and orderly succession; hence, a line or series of things arranged on a thread, or as if so arranged; a succession; a concatenation; a chain; as, a string of shells or beads; a string of dried apples; a string of houses; a string of arguments., A strip, as of leather, by which the covers of a book are held together., The cord of a musical instrument, as of a piano, harp, or violin; specifically (pl.), the stringed instruments of an orchestra, in distinction from the wind instruments; as, the strings took up the theme., The line or cord of a bow., A fiber, as of a plant; a little, fibrous root., A nerve or tendon of an animal body., An inside range of ceiling planks, corresponding to the sheer strake on the outside and bolted to it., The tough fibrous substance that unites the valves of the pericap of leguminous plants, and which is readily pulled off; as, the strings of beans., A small, filamentous ramification of a metallic vein., Same as Stringcourse., The points made in a game., To furnish with strings; as, to string a violin., To put in tune the strings of, as a stringed instrument, in order to play upon it., To put on a string; to file; as, to string beads., To make tense; to strengthen., To deprive of strings; to strip the strings from; as, to string beans. See String, n., 9.
strung imp. of String, of String, imp. & p. p. of String.
stripe noun A line, or long, narrow division of anything of a different color or structure from the ground; hence, any linear variation of color or structure; as, a stripe, or streak, of red on a green ground; a raised stripe., A pattern produced by arranging the warp threads in sets of alternating colors, or in sets presenting some other contrast of appearance., A strip, or long, narrow piece attached to something of a different color; as, a red or blue stripe sewed upon a garment., A stroke or blow made with a whip, rod, scourge, or the like, such as usually leaves a mark., A long, narrow discoloration of the skin made by the blow of a lash, rod, or the like., Color indicating a party or faction; hence, distinguishing characteristic; sign; likeness; sort; as, persons of the same political stripe., The chevron on the coat of a noncommissioned officer., To make stripes upon; to form with lines of different colors or textures; to variegate with stripes., To strike; to lash.
strove imp. of Strive, of Strive, imp. of Strive.
strive verb i. To make efforts; to use exertions; to endeavor with earnestness; to labor hard., To struggle in opposition; to be in contention or dispute; to contend; to contest; — followed by against or with before the person or thing opposed; as, strive against temptation; strive for the truth., To vie; to compete; to be a rival., An effort; a striving., Strife; contention.
stroam verb i. To wander about idly and vacantly., To take long strides in walking.
stroke imp. Struck., The act of striking; a blow; a hit; a knock; esp., a violent or hostile attack made with the arm or hand, or with an instrument or weapon., The result of effect of a striking; injury or affliction; soreness., The striking of the clock to tell the hour., A gentle, caressing touch or movement upon something; a stroking., A mark or dash in writing or printing; a line; the touch of a pen or pencil; as, an up stroke; a firm stroke., Hence, by extension, an addition or amandment to a written composition; a touch; as, to give some finishing strokes to an essay., A sudden attack of disease; especially, a fatal attack; a severe disaster; any affliction or calamity, especially a sudden one; as, a stroke of apoplexy; the stroke of death., A throb or beat, as of the heart., One of a series of beats or movements against a resisting medium, by means of which movement through or upon it is accomplished; as, the stroke of a bird’s wing in flying, or an oar in rowing, of a skater, swimmer, etc., The rate of succession of stroke; as, a quick stroke., The oar nearest the stern of a boat, by which the other oars are guided; — called also stroke oar., The rower who pulls the stroke oar; the strokesman., A powerful or sudden effort by which something is done, produced, or accomplished; also, something done or accomplished by such an effort; as, a stroke of genius; a stroke of business; a master stroke of policy., The movement, in either direction, of the piston plunger, piston rod, crosshead, etc., as of a steam engine or a pump, in which these parts have a reciprocating motion; as, the forward stroke of a piston; also, the entire distance passed through, as by a piston, in such a movement; as, the piston is at half stroke., Power; influence., Appetite., To strike., To rib gently in one direction; especially, to pass the hand gently over by way of expressing kindness or tenderness; to caress; to soothe., To make smooth by rubbing., To give a finely fluted surface to., To row the stroke oar of; as, to stroke a boat.
stroll verb i. To wander on foot; to ramble idly or leisurely; to rove., A wandering on foot; an idle and leisurely walk; a ramble.
stroma noun The connective tissue or supporting framework of an organ; as, the stroma of the kidney., The spongy, colorless framework of a red blood corpuscle or other cell., A layer or mass of cellular tissue, especially that part of the thallus of certain fungi which incloses the perithecia.
stromb noun Any marine univalve mollusk of the genus Strombus and allied genera. See Conch, and Strombus.
strond noun Strand; beach.
strong superl. Having active physical power, or great physical power to act; having a power of exerting great bodily force; vigorous., Having passive physical power; having ability to bear or endure; firm; hale; sound; robust; as, a strong constitution; strong health., Solid; tough; not easily broken or injured; able to withstand violence; able to sustain attacks; not easily subdued or taken; as, a strong beam; a strong rock; a strong fortress or town., Having great military or naval force; powerful; as, a strong army or fleet; a nation strong at sea., Having great wealth, means, or resources; as, a strong house, or company of merchants., Reaching a certain degree or limit in respect to strength or numbers; as, an army ten thousand strong., Moving with rapidity or force; violent; forcible; impetuous; as, a strong current of water or wind; the wind was strong from the northeast; a strong tide., Adapted to make a deep or effectual impression on the mind or imagination; striking or superior of the kind; powerful; forcible; cogent; as, a strong argument; strong reasons; strong evidence; a strong example; strong language., Ardent; eager; zealous; earnestly engaged; as, a strong partisan; a strong Whig or Tory., Having virtues of great efficacy; or, having a particular quality in a great degree; as, a strong powder or tincture; a strong decoction; strong tea or coffee., Full of spirit; containing a large proportion of alcohol; intoxicating; as, strong liquors., Affecting any sense powerfully; as, strong light, colors, etc.; a strong flavor of onions; a strong scent., Solid; nourishing; as, strong meat., Well established; firm; not easily overthrown or altered; as, a strong custom; a strong belief., Violent; vehement; earnest; ardent., Having great force, vigor, power, or the like, as the mind, intellect, or any faculty; as, a man of a strong mind, memory, judgment, or imagination., Vigorous; effective; forcible; powerful., Tending to higher prices; rising; as, a strong market., Pertaining to, or designating, a verb which forms its preterit (imperfect) by a variation in the root vowel, and the past participle (usually) by the addition of -en (with or without a change of the root vowel); as in the verbs strive, strove, striven; break, broke, broken; drink, drank, drunk. Opposed to weak, or regular. See Weak., Applied to forms in Anglo-Saxon, etc., which retain the old declensional endings. In the Teutonic languages the vowel stems have held the original endings most firmly, and are called strong; the stems in -n are called weak other constant stems conform, or are irregular.
strook imp. of Strike., A stroke.
stroot verb i. To swell out; to strut.
stroud noun A kind of coarse blanket or garment used by the North American Indians.
strout verb i. To swell; to puff out; to project., To cause to project or swell out; to enlarge affectedly; to strut.
strown past participle of Strow, p. p. of Strow.
strowl verb i. To stroll.
strude noun A stock of breeding mares.
strull noun A bar so placed as to resist weight.
struma noun Scrofula., A cushionlike swelling on any organ; especially, that at the base of the capsule in many mosses.
strunt noun Spirituous liquor.
struse noun A Russian river craft used for transporting freight.
stubby adjective Abounding with stubs., Short and thick; short and strong, as bristles.
stucco noun Plaster of any kind used as a coating for walls, especially, a fine plaster, composed of lime or gypsum with sand and pounded marble, used for internal decorations and fine work., Work made of stucco; stuccowork., To overlay or decorate with stucco, or fine plaster.
studio noun The working room of an artist.
stuffy adjective Stout; mettlesome; resolute., Angry and obstinate; sulky., Ill-ventilated; close.
stulty adjective Foolish; silly.
stumpy adjective Full of stumps; hard; strong., Short and thick; stubby.
stuped imp. & past participle of Stupe
stupid adjective Very dull; insensible; senseless; wanting in understanding; heavy; sluggish; in a state of stupor; — said of persons., Resulting from, or evincing, stupidity; formed without skill or genius; dull; heavy; — said of things.
stupor noun Great diminution or suspension of sensibility; suppression of sense or feeling; lethargy., Intellectual insensibility; moral stupidity; heedlessness or inattention to one’s interests.
sturdy superl. Foolishly obstinate or resolute; stubborn; unrelenting; unfeeling; stern., Resolute, in a good sense; or firm, unyielding quality; as, a man of sturdy piety or patriotism., Characterized by physical strength or force; strong; lusty; violent; as, a sturdy lout., Stiff; stout; strong; as, a sturdy oak., A disease in sheep and cattle, marked by great nervousness, or by dullness and stupor.
stying present participle & vb. noun of Sty
stylar adjective See Stilar.
styled imp. & past participle of Style
stylet noun A small poniard; a stiletto., An instrument for examining wounds and fistulas, and for passing setons, and the like; a probe, — called also specillum., A stiff wire, inserted in catheters or other tubular instruments to maintain their shape and prevent clogging., Any small, more or less rigid, bristlelike organ; as, the caudal stylets of certain insects; the ventral stylets of certain Infusoria.
stylo- A combining form used in anatomy to indicate connection with, or relation to, the styloid process of the temporal bone; as, stylohyal, stylomastoid, stylomaxillary.
stylus noun An instrument for writing. See Style, n., 1., That needle-shaped part at the tip of the playing arm of phonograph which sits in the groove of a phonograph record while it is turning, to detect the undulations in the phonograph groove and convert them into vibrations which are transmitted to a system (since 1920 electronic) which converts the signal into sound; also called needle. The stylus is frequently composed of metal or diamond., The needle-like device used to cut the grooves which record the sound on the original disc during recording of a phonograph record., A pen-shaped pointing device used to specify the cursor position on a graphics tablet.
styrax noun A genus of shrubs and trees, mostly American or Asiatic, abounding in resinous and aromatic substances. Styrax officinalis yields storax, and S. Benzoin yields benzoin., Same as Storax.
styrol noun See Styrolene.
styryl noun A hypothetical radical found in certain derivatives of styrolene and cinnamic acid; — called also cinnyl, or cinnamyl.
stythe noun Choke damp.
stythy noun & verb See Stithy.