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   thread

   /θrɛd/

   noun

   • 1. a long, thin strand of cotton, nylon, or other fibres used in sewing or weaving: "he had a loose thread on his shirt"
   • ▪ cotton, nylon, or other fibres spun into long, thin strands and used for sewing: "she put her needle and thread away" Similar yarncottonfilamentfibrestrandstringtwinelineply
   • ▪ a long, thin line or piece of something: literary "the Thames was a thread of silver below them" Similar streakstrandstripelinestriationstripseamveinbeltbarswathe
   • 2. a theme or characteristic running throughout a situation or piece of writing: "a major thread running through the book is the primacy of form over substance" Similar train of thoughtdriftdirectionsensethemesubject mattermotiftenorstrainthrustsubjectgistburdenactionplotstorylinescenario
   • ▪ (in online communication) a sequence of linked posts or messages.
   • ▪ a programming structure or process formed by linking a number of separate elements or subroutines, especially each of the tasks executed concurrently in multithreading.
   • 3. a helical ridge on the outside of a screw, bolt, etc. or on the inside of a cylindrical hole, to allow two parts to be screwed together.
   • 4. clothes: informal North American "his fine threads and fashionable specs"

   verb

   • 1. pass a thread through the eye of (a needle) or through the needle and guides of (a sewing machine): "I can't even thread a needle"
   • ▪ pass (a long, thin object or piece of material) through something and into the required position for use: "he threaded the rope through a pulley" Similar passstringweaveworkeaseinchmovepushpokethrust
   • ▪ put (something) on a thread, chain, etc. that passes through it, especially in such a way as to connect a number of things by passing a thread through each: "Connie sat threading beads" Similar string
   • ▪ move carefully or skilfully in and out of obstacles: "she threaded her way through the tables" Similar weave (one's way)inch (one's way)wind (one's way)filework (one's way)push (one's way)squeeze (one's way)shoulder (one's way)elbow (one's way)make one's wayprogresspass
   • ▪ interweave or intersperse as if with threads: "his hair had become ill-kempt and threaded with grey"
   • 2. pluck hairs from (the eyebrows or another part of the body) using a twisted cotton thread: "I had my eyebrows threaded today"
   • 3. cut a screw thread in or on (a hole, screw, bolt, etc.): "we're laser-cutting holes to be threaded for screws"

   Word Origin Old Englishthrǣd (noun), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch draad and German Draht, also to the verb throw. The verb dates from late Middle English.

   Derivatives

   • 1. threadlike adjective

   Scrabble Points: 10

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