thread

thread¹ [θred] n

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1¦(for sewing)¦

2¦(ideas)¦

3 pick up the thread(s)

4¦(internet)¦

5¦(line)¦

6¦(on a screw)¦

7 threads

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[: Old English; Origin: thrAd]

1.) ¦(FOR SEWING)¦ [U and C]

a long thin string of cotton, silk etc used to sew or weave cloth

▪ I'm looking for a needle and thread.

▪ hand-sewn with gold and silver thread

▪ a spool of thread (=small object that thread is wound around)

2.) ¦(IDEAS)¦ [singular]

an idea, feeling, or feature that connects the different parts of an explanation, story etc

▪ a common thread running within his work

▪ His mind wandered, and he lost the thread of what she was saying (=was no longer able to understand it) .

▪ a thread running through the film

thread of

▪ a thread of spirituality in her work

3.) pick up the thread(s)

to begin something again after a long period, especially a relationship or way of life

▪ They had known each other as children, and were picking up the threads of their friendship.

4.) ¦(INTERNET)¦

a series of messages concerning the same subject, written by members of an Internet discussion group

▪ I'd like to refer to something that was posted in an earlier thread.

5.) ¦(LINE)¦ literary

a long thin line of something, such as light, smoke etc

thread of

▪ The Colorado River was just a thread of silver, 4000 feet below.

↑filament, ↑thread

6.) ¦(ON A SCREW)¦

a continuous raised line of metal that winds around the curved surface of a screw

7.) threads [plural] AmE old-fashioned clothes

→hang by a thread at ↑hang¹ (9)

thread ²

thread² v [T usually + adverb/preposition]

1.) to put a thread, string, rope etc through a hole

▪ Will you thread the needle for me?

thread sth through sth

▪ Tom threaded the rope through the safety harness.

2.) to put a film, tape etc correctly through parts of a camera, ↑projector, or ↑tape recorder

3.) to connect two or more objects by pushing something such as string through a hole in them

▪ Sue threaded the glass beads onto a piece of heavy string.

4.) thread your way through/into sth etc

to move through a place by carefully going around things that are blocking your way

▪ She came towards me, threading her way through the crowd.