strand

UK: 'strand', 'Strand': /ˈstrænd/ US: /strænd/ ,(strand)

WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2025

strand¹ /strænd/   v. [~ + object]

1. to drive or run onto a shore;
   run aground:
   The boat was stranded in the mud.
2. to leave in a helpless position:
   tourists stranded in the middle of nowhere.

n. [countable]

3. the land bordering a body of water;
   shore;
   beach:
   the sea strand.

strand² /strænd/   n. [countable]

1. a part of a rope, or a single piece or fiber of cord, string, etc., that is wound, twisted, or plaited together to form a rope.
2. an element in a larger structure:
   You have to work hard to put together the strands of the plot.

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2025

strand¹  (strand), v.t. 

1. to drive or leave (a ship, fish, etc.) aground or ashore:
   The receding tide stranded the whale.
2. (usually used in the passive) to bring into or leave in a helpless position:
   He was stranded in the middle of nowhere.

v.i. 

3. to be driven or left ashore;
   run aground.
4. to be halted or struck by a difficult situation:
   He stranded in the middle of his speech.

n. 

5. the land bordering the sea, a lake, or a river;
   shore;
   beach.

• bef. 1000; Middle English (noun, nominal), Old English; cognate with Dutch strand, German Strand, Old Norse strǫnd; akin to strew

strand²  (strand), n. 

1. one of a number of fibers, threads, or yarns that are plaited or twisted together to form a rope, cord, or the like.
2. a similar part of a wire rope.
3. a rope made of such twisted or plaited fibers.
4. a fiber or filament, as in animal or plant tissue.
5. a thread or threadlike part of anything:
   the strands of a plot.
6. a tress of hair.
7. a string of pearls, beads, etc.

v.t. 

8. to form (a rope, cable, etc.) by twisting strands together.
9. to break one or more strands of (a rope).

• origin, originally uncertain 1490–1500

strand′less, adj. 

Strand  (strand), n. 

1. Biographical Mark, born 1934, U.S. poet, born in Canada: U.S. poet laureate 1990–91.
2. Biographical Paul, 1890–1976, U.S. photographer and documentary-film producer.
3. Place Names the, a street parallel to the Thames, in W central London, England: famous for hotels and theaters.

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

strand / strænd/ verb

1. to leave or drive (ships, fish, etc) aground or ashore or (of ships, fish, etc) to be left or driven ashore
2. (tr; usually passive) to leave helpless, as without transport or money, etc

noun

1. a shore or beach

Etymology: Old English; related to Old Norse strönd side, Middle High German strant beach, Latin sternere to spread

strand / strænd/ noun

1. a set of or one of the individual fibres or threads of string, wire, etc, that form a rope, cable, etc
2. a single length of string, hair, wool, wire, etc
3. a string of pearls or beads
4. a constituent element in a complex whole

verb

1. (transitive) to form (a rope, cable, etc) by winding strands together

Etymology: 15th Century: of uncertain origin

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::

Strand / strænd/ noun

1. the Strand ⇒ a street in W central London, parallel to the Thames: famous for its hotels and theatres