Definition of thread in English:

thread

noun θrɛdθrɛd

1A long, thin strand of cotton, nylon, or other fibres used in sewing or weaving.
he had a loose thread on his shirt
figurative the thread that bound them had snapped
Example sentencesExamples
- Sometimes the threads are woven inaccurately, need to be pulled, and the section started again.
- Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven.
- Most carpets are woven on a vertical loom, so that the threads which emerge from the knots hang downwards towards the end where the weaving started, and these loops are cut to form the pile.
- Many framers use a cotton thread with just enough tensile strength to effectively hold the item, but not too much to cause damage.
- Weave the threads of all customer interactions into a unified portrait of your customer.
- I smiled and picked at a loose thread on the comforter.
- Simeon was silent for a moment, picking a loose thread on the plain white cotton sheets.
- He worries a loose thread on my shirt between his fingertips.
- To finish off the thread ends, tie the threads and weave them back into the hem.
- The superfine finish is so supple, lustrous and perfect that the mats look like they have been woven from silk threads.
- These threads are woven into textile yarns to produce sacks, carpet base, mats, rope and twine and many other materials.
- Iraq is also famous for its carpets, woven from fine threads in brilliant colors.
- You can also use textured-nylon or polyester threads on a conventional sewing machine.
- Woven gauzes are manufactured from cotton yam or threads and woven like fabric.
- Each time you return to the puzzle, you pick up the same threads and weave a different cloth.
- She sighed and let her hands rest on her lap, her fingers absently playing with a loose thread of cotton.
- My own coat was still draped over the chair by the door, but even from where I stood I could see loose threads dangling from the seams.
- Up close, her process of dyeing and then weaving the newly colored threads on a loom became more evident.
- With the other hand he picked at a loose thread in the old quilt.
- A seven-year-old girl in the village, for example, already knows how to operate the loom and how to weave the threads.
1. 1.1mass noun Cotton, nylon, or other fibres spun into long, thin strands and used for sewing.
  she put her needle and thread away
  Example sentencesExamples
  The skirt flows freely around and around, and the ends are fringed with little brown strands of thread.
  The garments were hung on fabric-covered padded rods and suspended from the ceiling by nylon filament thread.
  Out of nowhere, she's got needle and thread in one hand, and in the space of a heartbeat, she's pulled her chair beside mine.
  Thread the machine with white thread or clear monofilament nylon thread in the needle.
  Armed with the strongest and finest cotton thread in the world, Bolton's weavers were able to produce the finest cotton material in the world.
  To my surprise, Emma takes some needle and thread out of one of her pockets.
  The cotton would be cleaned and then spun into yarn or thread.
  She was on a production line that spins cotton thread onto the spools.
  The rest of the dress looked to be made of white gold spun into thread.
  Handiness with a needle and thread made her eldest child the obvious choice for such a task.
  Using a needle and thread, they stitched the flowers over the sword-shaped petals.
  We do not know where she got the needle from because neither of us can remember the last time we used a needle and thread.
  He went inside and came across a beautiful woman spinning golden thread.
  Someone had taken a needle and thread to the cut along the side.
  After the nurse stitched the wound with a sewing needle and cotton thread, the mother and baby were transferred and treated by Dr King and his colleagues at the nearest hospital.
  So, I grabbed a needle and some thread and stitched it up a bit.
  I have crewel yarn and silk thread, and I'm determined to make something of it.
  Drape it over the lid, folding into little pleats around the edge, and secure with waxed twine or embroidery thread.
  I prefer keeping a needle and thread on hand, just in case.
  Consequently, scores of young women plan to learn some fundamentals of the art of thread and needle in order to become more charming to their lovers.
  Synonyms
  yarn, cotton, filament, fibre, strand, string, twine, line
  ply
2. 1.2literary A long, thin line or piece of something.
  the Thames was a thread of silver below them
  Example sentencesExamples
  The glittering threads of rivers twisted their way to the sea and Hayes could just make out the lighter wash where they discharged sediment.
  The older woman looked much like Jenna, only her face had a few more lines and the long black hair was touched with threads of silver.
  It was the suddenness with which the drop opened, more than a thousand feet from Hualapai Hilltop to the pale thread of the track below, that took my breath away.
  Now that he's close, I can see a few threads of silver in the thick black hair.
  Her hair had silver threads in it, and on her face were the beginnings of lines.
  Synonyms
  streak, strand, stripe, line, striation, strip, seam, vein, belt, bar, swathe
2A 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
Example sentencesExamples
- In fact, the recursive aspect of confirming predictions and orchestrating multiple cues is a common thread throughout this article.
- Providing too much detailed information to the policy maker was a common thread running through the symposium.
- A common thread throughout this discourse is the sense that members of the subjugated regime are outside the mainstream.
- The subject of the nightmare and its characters change, but there is a common thread to the plot, namely that I am not strong or fast enough to prevent whatever horrors befall me.
- Their common thread is the belief in a free and open society that readily shares information and knowledge to collectively improve on the world we live in.
- We can detect that mockery as a characteristic thread throughout the oeuvre.
- The common thread among the superstars is that they all reached the major leagues at a very early age.
- Flick through a list of his bestselling books and you will soon pick up on the common thread running through them.
- The common thread that ran throughout the entire discussion focused on the chasm that sometimes exists between teachers and retailers.
- And throughout, the common thread is the implications of property rights.
- The common thread is ideological certainty untroubled by empirical evidence, intellectual curiosity, or open debate.
- If there is a common thread in all of this, it is the sense of entitlement.
- She insists there is a common thread running through the show, despite the fact that it features work and artists that refuse to be pigeonholed.
- While techno is the common thread throughout all ten songs, the material is by turns raucous and gentle, even sweet.
- A common thread through most of the stories is the support from the family.
- The common thread in both situations is the communication of information in confidence to an adviser or therapeutic counsellor.
- Earlier phases in its history have emphasized different characteristics, but a common thread remains.
- The common thread running throughout this collection is the human figure.
- Every prisoner has a story, he says, although there's often a common thread running through each.
- Another common thread running through the stories is that of relationships gone awry.
Synonyms
train of thought, drift, direction, sense, theme, subject matter, motif, tenor, strain, thrust, subject, gist, burden, action
plot, storyline, scenario
1. 2.1 A group of linked messages posted on an Internet forum that share a common subject or theme.
  Example sentencesExamples
  One of the unexpected benefits of posting the article to a newsgroup was that a thread developed on the subject of competition on the London to Manchester route.
  No, he didn't say any of that, he just sent us a link to the discussion thread.
  Since discussion threads are linked to individual news items or essays, discussions are quite limited temporally.
  If you have any problems that aren't resolved here, then you can post on the forum thread by clicking here
  I know there are other threads on this subject, but they are more specific in nature.
2. 2.2Computing A programming structure or process formed by linking a number of separate elements or subroutines, especially each of the tasks executed concurrently in multithreading.
  Example sentencesExamples
  The dual-core processors that can process several computational threads at the same time very often push us towards this working algorithm.
  A processor equipped with thread-level parallelism can execute completely separate threads of code.
  All processes are considered threads by the operating system.
  It solves the performance problem by executing all requests as threads in one process, or in a load-balanced system, in one process per server in the cluster.
  Multiple streams of data are characteristic of applications which execute multiple threads and processes in parallel.
3A 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.
Example sentencesExamples
- Cadmium plating or the use of anti-galling paints are effective in preventing seizure of bolt threads.
- Standards for threads and bolt sizes were only a part of the problem, however.
- A gouge auger is similar, but instead of a screw thread there is a sharp-ended tube with a slot cut in the side.
- She took a standard coffee pot and put a perforated cylinder - similar to a sieve - in the middle, into which she put a plunger on a screw thread.
- This can be done either by putting a screw thread of the correct pitch on the barrel's axle or, more often, by shifting a lever.
4threadsNorth American informal Clothes.
his fine threads and fashionable specs
Example sentencesExamples
- Remember; you are never forced to buy anything you try on, so don't feel guilty about trying on different threads.
- Whether you pile your clothes on your chair or hang up any shirt on any hanger, these tips will help your favorite threads last.
- They'll usually purchase several trendy pieces every season and then match them with more classic threads.
- Besides, what's the point of wearing the coolest threads of the season if your jacket doesn't say it all?
- The thing is, you can purchase all the brand-name items you like, but if you roll in and out of bed at the start and end of the day, then no one will really notice your stylish threads.
- Next, I suggest you make an effort to drag him along when you go shopping, and occasionally treat him to some fashionable threads.
- When it comes to shopping for vintage threads, the place to do it is online.
- I know you're looking forward to showing off your newest spring threads at the office and on weekends, but the right jacket can take your look to a whole new level.
- Going out may seem like a drag when you don't know what to wear, but we have the threads to help you look like you own the place.
- Anybody have a place to get cool threads on the net?
- Wear it with jeans and your other trendy threads.
- I'd love to dress up in the latest threads from designer brands, but I'm a student and just cannot afford it.
- Instead, they look for classic threads that are comfortable and of superior quality.
- Shopping for threads is more like a chore - most guys do it out of necessity.
- We'd love to stay outdoors all the time, run off on adventurous weekend trips, and shop for new threads and sandals.
- If you're the guy with the most stylish threads, the ladies will be falling head over heels.
- Whether you're at the office or the coolest club in town, you'll need the threads to make you the man of the winter hour.
- So maybe you don't have the perfect body, perfect hair or perfect threads but who does?
- Now it's your job to find high-quality threads in classic styles.
- The new womenswear and menswear designer emporiums showcase threads from cutting edge houses, but you can still buy tartan shortbread in the food hall.
Synonyms
outfit, clothes, costume, ensemble, suit, clothing, dress, attire, garments, garb, turnout, rig, uniform, livery, array, regalia, robes, finery

verb θrɛdθrɛd

[with object]

1Pass 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
she threaded up the machine with the right cotton
Example sentencesExamples
- I have to thread the needles for her but she suggested we keep several threaded at one time so she could work for longer periods.
- For example, even simple acts like threading a needle or pouring a drink into a cup can become a challenge.
- She tests him by making him thread a needle, catch something in between his legs, and throw a bar of lead.
- I demonstrated how to thread the blunt tapestry needle, where to place the knot and how to hold and move the needle when stitching.
- Then he picks up a needle and threads it with thick black thread as he speaks to her.
- I threaded up a needle with linen thread, and took one of the new-cut pieces of fabric and folded back a hem, and began my work.
- It is frustration like not being able to thread a needle, no matter how hard you try.
- He begins to accept the new lifestyle, helping his grandmother to thread a needle, hang up clothes on the clothesline, and shop with her at the market.
- Six needles, already threaded with colored yarn, are laid out next to each other so that the colors of the threads simulate a rainbow of sorts.
- She couldn't see the hole to thread the needle, and upon sticking it into the fabric she poked herself again.
- She sat down, smoothed out her dress, threaded the needle, and began.
- Men are nimble enough with the chopsticks, but threading the needle takes patience.
- To thread texturized nylon, use a needle threader or put a dab of seam sealant on the thread end and let it dry before threading the needle.
- Mama pretended to busy herself with threading a needle, but I could tell that it was only show.
- With shaking hands, I threaded the needle under his piercing gaze.
- I stand and look down at the needle as I thread it with ease and neatly begin stitching.
- Use this needle if you have difficulty threading needles.
- When the right pair was found, the woman was able to thread a needle again.
- You may find yourself having trouble eating with a spoon or fork, drinking from a cup, threading a needle, or writing.
- She finishes threading the needle, and examines it for a moment.
1. 1.1with object and adverbial of direction 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
  Example sentencesExamples
  APS cameras all auto-load these cartridges, so there is no messing about with threading film through a series of rollers.
  The leads were threaded through a small hole at the bottom of the artificial nest.
  Both types of devices allow the caver to control their descent by applying friction to the rope that is threaded through them.
  A doctor painstakingly threads a thin tube deep into his sedated patient's heart.
  Then he threaded his leftover rope through the hole and secured the shoe with a simple knot.
  Since you don't have nerve endings in the brain, the patient can be completely awake as you thread the lead down in the brain.
  A disc had been cut from the middle and a leather cord was threaded through this hole.
  Generally in an angioplasty, doctors thread a catheter through the femoral artery.
  The cameraman would show me how to thread the film and how to repair it.
  A line would be threaded through this piece of wood and again through the gun to prevent recoil when the gun was fired.
  I pulled on my pants, threading a black leather belt through the belt loops.
  Lantern clocks originally ran on woven ropes, which were threaded over spikes on ratchet wheels.
  This procedure doesn't require threading a catheter into your arteries, as does traditional angiography.
  Threading the catheter shouldn't cause pain, and you won't feel it moving through your body.
  Thread a short ribbon through slits cut in two sides to make a handle.
  It was a process a bit like tying a granny knot: twisting one edge of the sausage rope into a loop, then threading the other end through, looping it, and twisting again.
  They use backstrap looms which are attached to a tree and consist of several smooth pieces of wood threaded with the bright cotton used for weaving.
  The idea: thread a catheter up the femoral artery from the groin or through another blood vessel.
  Using an awl or heavy needle, poke two holes through the spine of the book to thread the waxed linen through.
  Synonyms
  pass, string, weave, work, ease, inch, move, push, poke, thrust
2. 1.2no object, with adverbial of direction Move carefully or skilfully in and out of obstacles.
  she threaded her way through the tables
  Example sentencesExamples
  She picked up my hand and began threading through the crowds, unfazed by strangers' chests and elbows.
  The City of London may only cover one square mile, but our journey aboard the 100 appeared to thread around most of it.
  He threaded his way through the crowd, taking up a position beside the president and followed him into the hall, where he sat beside him on the stage.
  He wanted a car small enough to thread through city streets, yet big enough to take three people and their luggage.
  He said a good crowd turned out to watch as the runners, many from Holland, threaded their way through the streets, after starting at the Harwich School, Hall Lane.
  It was from Manorbier that I persuaded the children to join me in a walk along a small stretch of Pembrokeshire's 186 mile coastal path, threading between heather, sea pinks and campion along a volley of headlands.
  Astonishingly, more than 200 climbers were threading their way up the steep snowfield on that last weekend in May.
  We threaded our way back along the line, around the south side of the rotunda under City Hall's famous gold-trimmed dome.
  Carefully we threaded our way through the beach maze, around and between and over what seemed like an endless array of towels, blankets, beach umbrellas, and beach chairs.
  The group threaded its way up treacherous couloirs and 50-degree snow slopes, cutting steps with ice axes.
  We walked through the grasses that must have appeared much the same when Sioux warriors threaded their way towards Custer's men.
  Wendy threaded her way around the old firetruck, plodded up the front steps, and continued on up to her room, where she flopped on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
  We gingerly threaded our way through the stalled cars back to our building.
  Pedestrians threaded their way unpredictably through the slowly moving mass.
  Synonyms
  weave (one's way), inch (one's way), wind (one's way), file, work (one's way), push (one's way), squeeze (one's way), shoulder (one's way), elbow (one's way), make one's way
  progress, pass
3. 1.3 Interweave or intersperse as if with threads.
  his hair had become ill-kempt and threaded with grey
  Example sentencesExamples
  This is benchmark Australian oaked Chardonnay: ripe fruit is balanced, threaded with firm acidity and finished with a twist of oak.
  The play tells the story of his life amidst the turbulent times of the Penal Laws, and the narrative is threaded with her music.
  Waves of aromas and flavours of cigar boxes, ripe juicy blackcurrants and spice all harmoniously integrate with perfumed French oak and are threaded with firm acidity.
  Knits are threaded with silver, trousers made of advanced cotton fiber and many shirts carry pixel prints.
  The Riesling grape performs well in southern Australia, and this delivers typical notes of limes, peels and petroleum oils, threaded with mouthwatering acidity.
  Claret lovers will enthuse over this traditional style that delivers blackfruits, pencil shavings, cigar boxes threaded with ripe tannins, all backed by firm acidity.
  Her eyes were small and brightly anxious, threaded with fine filaments of blood, and her aquiline nose was now a pug nose in which broken capillaries glowed with a sullen heat.
  The highlights for most listeners were the poems threaded with irony.
  The central spine of mountains, a last fling of the Andean chain, are matted in rainforest, threaded with trails, cooled by waterfalls and home to more birds per square mile than anywhere in the world.
  This is a boutique style of Pinot, delivering classy, clean, red berry-fruits threaded with firm acidity, spice and toasty oak.
  His beard was already threaded with grey stubble and his skin had an unnatural pallor.
  His eyes were threaded with blood and his face was still pale from the winter but flushed, mottled.
  Assertive, clean, black-fruit flavours are threaded with a necessary acidity and backed by chewy oak.
  Jostling for your tastebuds' attention is a melee of strawberry and redcurrant jam spiked with spice and harmoniously threaded with elegant oaky notes.
  In the bathroom, a comb threaded with grey hairs lay on the side of the basin.
  It has a traditional cylindrical shape and is threaded with delicate blue veins.
4. 1.4 Put (beads or other small objects) on a thread, chain, etc.
  Constance sat threading beads
  Example sentencesExamples
  Long strips of what appeared to be dark meat were threaded onto the last two skewers.
  The longlines are threaded with many thousands of hooks and stretch for up to 50 miles.
  At school, my children recently made fruit kebabs, just threading grapes, hulled strawberries and bits of melon and orange on to skewers.
  Then thread a small bell with some ribbon, and pull the ribbon up through the hole in the pot.
  Alternately thread the vegetables on wooden or metal skewers.
  A weight followed by another smaller bead were threaded on the wire.
  It's just a case of threading them together like beads on a string, whether they make sense or not.
  Using 4 fine, long, wooden kebab skewers, thread a mixture of ingredients onto each one.
  During the fourth year the child learns to cut with scissors and to thread beads, develops a mature pencil grasp, and learns to draw.
  Synonyms
  string
2usually as adjective threadedCut a screw thread in or on (a hole, screw, or other object)
two threaded holes for machine screws
the outer jaw is bored and threaded for set screws
Example sentencesExamples
- Another brass screw was threaded into the side of the wooden body to clamp the position of the depth guide.
- The tools can perform internal turning, grooving and threading in holes as small as 1-mm diameter.
- At fault was a cadmium-plated, carbon-steel jackscrew threaded through an aluminum pivot block.
- To secure the screws, thread the nylon thumbnuts until it reaches the nylon washer, securing it thumb tight.
- He squats beside the machine, threading a screw the size of a flea, his eyes watering, face crimson and swollen.
- The fan has dimensions of 70x70x15, and is held in place with four screws, threaded in the proper manner.
- For example, in an old truss section, bolts unexpectedly threaded into concrete made the old bridge sections harder to lift.
- That way you'll have a little wiggle room to finesse each screw into its respective hole and get it threaded.
- These include implants that are noncoated, tapered, and threaded in design, and which are immediate-load in nature to allow for delivery in a single procedure.
- The second thread quickly joins the first so that the major portion of the screw remains single threaded.
- Where the strainer is threaded underneath, a washer slips on and then a lock nut is tightened down until the putty oozes out.
- Each of the screw holes used to mount the front fan is threaded, and long screws are provided.
- For hardwoods, such as flooring, siding and rafters, use spiral threaded nails that turn as they are driven into the wood.
- The case is threaded at the base and screws right onto the gauge.
- Sheet metal screws are threaded completely from the point to the head, and the threads are sharper than those of wood screws.
- Jonah rigged up a narrow plywood sheet with screws threaded in at various points; it's now our camera mount and steadicam in one.
- On the back part of the upper table are two threaded screws.
- The forward ring of the receiver is slit and then threaded for a fairly large Allen screw which effectively clamps the barrel.
- Heron of Alexandria described the screw in Mechanica in the first century A.D., and archeologists have unearthed threaded bolts at early Roman sites.
- What they do is to drill a pilot hole in the bolt, and place a bit into the hole that is reverse threaded so that while you are tightening up the bit, it is backing out the bolt.

Phrases

hang by a thread

Be in a highly precarious state.
their lives were hanging by a thread
Example sentencesExamples
- But whatever had triggered it - impulsiveness, buttressing his position, or to soothe whatever remained of his conscience - his position hung by a thread.
- Their sanity is obviously hanging by a thread as it is.
- Many jobs are hanging by a thread with the Small Firms Association warning yesterday that thousands of jobs are at risk this year.
- So the legendary highwayman's fame may hang by a thread: a chance story told to a boy who remembered it and grew up to become a novelist.
- With their titles hopes hanging by a thread - they trail leaders Alfreton by 12 points, but with four games in hand - every victory has added importance for Pickering.
- Several of those species hang by a thread, with less than a few hundred individuals surviving.
- Now Louis is fully recovered, and it is hard to believe looking at this happy little boy that his life once hung by a thread.
- Mountain gorilla populations are extremely tenuous and chimpanzees are hanging by a thread.
- The tax authorities must be aware that York City's future hangs by a thread.
- As things stand, a season that began with the usual high hopes of success in Europe still hangs by a thread.
Synonyms
uncertain, insecure, unreliable, unsure, unpredictable, undependable, risky, hazardous, dangerous, unsafe, hanging by a thread, hanging in the balance, perilous, treacherous, on a slippery slope, on thin ice, touch-and-go, built on sand, doubtful, dubious, delicate, tricky, problematic

lose the (or one's) thread

Be unable to follow what someone is saying or remember what one is going to say next.
she lost the thread of the conversation after a time
Example sentencesExamples
- You've made me lose my thread.
- Throughout our chat their fingers continue to fly around their latest creations, knotting a string here and threading a string there without ever losing the thread of their conversation.
- At this point I lost my thread and was unable to write a further paragraph.
- Even so, the story sometimes wanders and risks losing the thread of the narrative.
- I lost my thread a couple of times after I'd ad-libbed some new bits.
- She was losing her thread, but she tried again, and grinned desperately.
- I have been at home at the start of one of these drama episodes, been out for a game of soccer, had a long bike ride home and a pizza and still not lost the thread of the story.
- It's achingly frustrating for the count to keep losing his thread, his memory, his balance.
- And so the conversation will be interrupted for them to explain what it is, who's in it, and by the time they've finished they've lost their thread completely.
- It wasn't so bad if she did her work without really thinking about it, allowed her body to function autonomously, and let her mind wander and sometimes even lose the thread completely.

Derivatives

thread-like

adjectiveˈθrɛdlʌɪk

So we left the chatter at the refreshment kiosk and did just that, explored the place off the beaten track, navigating rock to rock, picking up thread-like paths through the heather.
Example sentencesExamples
- The spinal cord, which runs from the brain down through the bony spinal column, contains thread-like nerves that branch off to every part of the body.
- Genes, the organizers of inheritance, are composed of DNA, thread-like molecules which carry the hereditary instructions needed to build an organism and make it work.
- Our body cells contain 23 pairs of thread-like structures called chromosomes.
- Between 5 and 10 percent of stillborn babies have abnormalities involving their chromosomes, the tiny thread-like structures in each cell that carry our genes.

Origin

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

A Germanic word distantly related to throw. The expression hang by a thread goes back to the 16th century, and comes from the legend of Damocles. He was a flattering courtier of Dionysius I, ruler of Syracuse in Sicily in the 4th century bc, who constantly told his ruler that he must be the happiest of men. Eventually the king decided to give Damocles a graphic demonstration of how fragile his happiness was. Dionysius invited him to a sumptuous banquet, but then Damocles realized he had been seated under a sword suspended by a single hair right above his head. The legend has also given us the expression a sword of Damocles for an imminent danger or ever-present threat.

Rhymes

abed, ahead, bed, behead, Birkenhead, bled, bread, bred, coed, cred, crossbred, dead, dread, Ed, embed, Enzed, fed, fled, Fred, gainsaid, head, infrared, ked, lead, led, Med, misled, misread, Ned, outspread, premed, pure-bred, read, red, redd, said, samoyed, shed, shred, sked, sled, sped, Spithead, spread, stead, ted, tread, underbred, underfed, wed

Definition of thread in US English:

thread

nounθrɛdTHred

1A long, thin strand of cotton, nylon, or other fibers used in sewing or weaving.
Example sentencesExamples
- The superfine finish is so supple, lustrous and perfect that the mats look like they have been woven from silk threads.
- Weave the threads of all customer interactions into a unified portrait of your customer.
- My own coat was still draped over the chair by the door, but even from where I stood I could see loose threads dangling from the seams.
- You can also use textured-nylon or polyester threads on a conventional sewing machine.
- Most carpets are woven on a vertical loom, so that the threads which emerge from the knots hang downwards towards the end where the weaving started, and these loops are cut to form the pile.
- Woven gauzes are manufactured from cotton yam or threads and woven like fabric.
- She sighed and let her hands rest on her lap, her fingers absently playing with a loose thread of cotton.
- Many framers use a cotton thread with just enough tensile strength to effectively hold the item, but not too much to cause damage.
- I smiled and picked at a loose thread on the comforter.
- Simeon was silent for a moment, picking a loose thread on the plain white cotton sheets.
- These threads are woven into textile yarns to produce sacks, carpet base, mats, rope and twine and many other materials.
- Each time you return to the puzzle, you pick up the same threads and weave a different cloth.
- Up close, her process of dyeing and then weaving the newly colored threads on a loom became more evident.
- To finish off the thread ends, tie the threads and weave them back into the hem.
- Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven.
- A seven-year-old girl in the village, for example, already knows how to operate the loom and how to weave the threads.
- With the other hand he picked at a loose thread in the old quilt.
- Iraq is also famous for its carpets, woven from fine threads in brilliant colors.
- He worries a loose thread on my shirt between his fingertips.
- Sometimes the threads are woven inaccurately, need to be pulled, and the section started again.
1. 1.1 Cotton, nylon, or other fibers spun into long, thin strands and used for sewing.
  Example sentencesExamples
  The skirt flows freely around and around, and the ends are fringed with little brown strands of thread.
  He went inside and came across a beautiful woman spinning golden thread.
  Handiness with a needle and thread made her eldest child the obvious choice for such a task.
  The cotton would be cleaned and then spun into yarn or thread.
  We do not know where she got the needle from because neither of us can remember the last time we used a needle and thread.
  Consequently, scores of young women plan to learn some fundamentals of the art of thread and needle in order to become more charming to their lovers.
  I have crewel yarn and silk thread, and I'm determined to make something of it.
  Drape it over the lid, folding into little pleats around the edge, and secure with waxed twine or embroidery thread.
  The garments were hung on fabric-covered padded rods and suspended from the ceiling by nylon filament thread.
  To my surprise, Emma takes some needle and thread out of one of her pockets.
  Someone had taken a needle and thread to the cut along the side.
  After the nurse stitched the wound with a sewing needle and cotton thread, the mother and baby were transferred and treated by Dr King and his colleagues at the nearest hospital.
  I prefer keeping a needle and thread on hand, just in case.
  Using a needle and thread, they stitched the flowers over the sword-shaped petals.
  So, I grabbed a needle and some thread and stitched it up a bit.
  She was on a production line that spins cotton thread onto the spools.
  Thread the machine with white thread or clear monofilament nylon thread in the needle.
  Armed with the strongest and finest cotton thread in the world, Bolton's weavers were able to produce the finest cotton material in the world.
  Out of nowhere, she's got needle and thread in one hand, and in the space of a heartbeat, she's pulled her chair beside mine.
  The rest of the dress looked to be made of white gold spun into thread.
  Synonyms
  yarn, cotton, filament, fibre, strand, string, twine, line
2. 1.2literary A long, thin line or piece of something.
  the river was a thread of silver below them
  Example sentencesExamples
  Now that he's close, I can see a few threads of silver in the thick black hair.
  Her hair had silver threads in it, and on her face were the beginnings of lines.
  The glittering threads of rivers twisted their way to the sea and Hayes could just make out the lighter wash where they discharged sediment.
  It was the suddenness with which the drop opened, more than a thousand feet from Hualapai Hilltop to the pale thread of the track below, that took my breath away.
  The older woman looked much like Jenna, only her face had a few more lines and the long black hair was touched with threads of silver.
  Synonyms
  streak, strand, stripe, line, striation, strip, seam, vein, belt, bar, swathe
2A theme or characteristic, typically forming one of several, running throughout a situation or piece of writing.
a common thread running through the scandals was the failure to conduct audits
Example sentencesExamples
- Their common thread is the belief in a free and open society that readily shares information and knowledge to collectively improve on the world we live in.
- If there is a common thread in all of this, it is the sense of entitlement.
- And throughout, the common thread is the implications of property rights.
- A common thread throughout this discourse is the sense that members of the subjugated regime are outside the mainstream.
- Another common thread running through the stories is that of relationships gone awry.
- The common thread running throughout this collection is the human figure.
- Flick through a list of his bestselling books and you will soon pick up on the common thread running through them.
- The common thread in both situations is the communication of information in confidence to an adviser or therapeutic counsellor.
- In fact, the recursive aspect of confirming predictions and orchestrating multiple cues is a common thread throughout this article.
- Every prisoner has a story, he says, although there's often a common thread running through each.
- The common thread among the superstars is that they all reached the major leagues at a very early age.
- We can detect that mockery as a characteristic thread throughout the oeuvre.
- The common thread is ideological certainty untroubled by empirical evidence, intellectual curiosity, or open debate.
- Earlier phases in its history have emphasized different characteristics, but a common thread remains.
- The subject of the nightmare and its characters change, but there is a common thread to the plot, namely that I am not strong or fast enough to prevent whatever horrors befall me.
- She insists there is a common thread running through the show, despite the fact that it features work and artists that refuse to be pigeonholed.
- The common thread that ran throughout the entire discussion focused on the chasm that sometimes exists between teachers and retailers.
- While techno is the common thread throughout all ten songs, the material is by turns raucous and gentle, even sweet.
- Providing too much detailed information to the policy maker was a common thread running through the symposium.
- A common thread through most of the stories is the support from the family.
Synonyms
train of thought, drift, direction, sense, theme, subject matter, motif, tenor, strain, thrust, subject, gist, burden, action
1. 2.1 A group of linked messages posted on an Internet forum that share a common subject or theme.
  Example sentencesExamples
  If you have any problems that aren't resolved here, then you can post on the forum thread by clicking here
  Since discussion threads are linked to individual news items or essays, discussions are quite limited temporally.
  One of the unexpected benefits of posting the article to a newsgroup was that a thread developed on the subject of competition on the London to Manchester route.
  No, he didn't say any of that, he just sent us a link to the discussion thread.
  I know there are other threads on this subject, but they are more specific in nature.
2. 2.2Computing A programming structure or process formed by linking a number of separate elements or subroutines, especially each of the tasks executed concurrently in multithreading.
  Example sentencesExamples
  Multiple streams of data are characteristic of applications which execute multiple threads and processes in parallel.
  All processes are considered threads by the operating system.
  The dual-core processors that can process several computational threads at the same time very often push us towards this working algorithm.
  It solves the performance problem by executing all requests as threads in one process, or in a load-balanced system, in one process per server in the cluster.
  A processor equipped with thread-level parallelism can execute completely separate threads of code.
3A 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.
Example sentencesExamples
- A gouge auger is similar, but instead of a screw thread there is a sharp-ended tube with a slot cut in the side.
- Cadmium plating or the use of anti-galling paints are effective in preventing seizure of bolt threads.
- This can be done either by putting a screw thread of the correct pitch on the barrel's axle or, more often, by shifting a lever.
- She took a standard coffee pot and put a perforated cylinder - similar to a sieve - in the middle, into which she put a plunger on a screw thread.
- Standards for threads and bolt sizes were only a part of the problem, however.
4threadsNorth American informal Clothes.
Example sentencesExamples
- Whether you're at the office or the coolest club in town, you'll need the threads to make you the man of the winter hour.
- Next, I suggest you make an effort to drag him along when you go shopping, and occasionally treat him to some fashionable threads.
- We'd love to stay outdoors all the time, run off on adventurous weekend trips, and shop for new threads and sandals.
- Remember; you are never forced to buy anything you try on, so don't feel guilty about trying on different threads.
- When it comes to shopping for vintage threads, the place to do it is online.
- Wear it with jeans and your other trendy threads.
- They'll usually purchase several trendy pieces every season and then match them with more classic threads.
- The thing is, you can purchase all the brand-name items you like, but if you roll in and out of bed at the start and end of the day, then no one will really notice your stylish threads.
- The new womenswear and menswear designer emporiums showcase threads from cutting edge houses, but you can still buy tartan shortbread in the food hall.
- I know you're looking forward to showing off your newest spring threads at the office and on weekends, but the right jacket can take your look to a whole new level.
- Besides, what's the point of wearing the coolest threads of the season if your jacket doesn't say it all?
- Shopping for threads is more like a chore - most guys do it out of necessity.
- If you're the guy with the most stylish threads, the ladies will be falling head over heels.
- Instead, they look for classic threads that are comfortable and of superior quality.
- Anybody have a place to get cool threads on the net?
- Now it's your job to find high-quality threads in classic styles.
- Going out may seem like a drag when you don't know what to wear, but we have the threads to help you look like you own the place.
- Whether you pile your clothes on your chair or hang up any shirt on any hanger, these tips will help your favorite threads last.
- I'd love to dress up in the latest threads from designer brands, but I'm a student and just cannot afford it.
- So maybe you don't have the perfect body, perfect hair or perfect threads but who does?
Synonyms
outfit, clothes, costume, ensemble, suit, clothing, dress, attire, garments, garb, turnout, rig, uniform, livery, array, regalia, robes, finery

verbθrɛdTHred

[with object]

1Pass a thread through the eye of (a needle) or through the needle and guides of (a sewing machine).
Example sentencesExamples
- To thread texturized nylon, use a needle threader or put a dab of seam sealant on the thread end and let it dry before threading the needle.
- Mama pretended to busy herself with threading a needle, but I could tell that it was only show.
- When the right pair was found, the woman was able to thread a needle again.
- For example, even simple acts like threading a needle or pouring a drink into a cup can become a challenge.
- She couldn't see the hole to thread the needle, and upon sticking it into the fabric she poked herself again.
- Use this needle if you have difficulty threading needles.
- He begins to accept the new lifestyle, helping his grandmother to thread a needle, hang up clothes on the clothesline, and shop with her at the market.
- Men are nimble enough with the chopsticks, but threading the needle takes patience.
- I threaded up a needle with linen thread, and took one of the new-cut pieces of fabric and folded back a hem, and began my work.
- She finishes threading the needle, and examines it for a moment.
- I demonstrated how to thread the blunt tapestry needle, where to place the knot and how to hold and move the needle when stitching.
- I have to thread the needles for her but she suggested we keep several threaded at one time so she could work for longer periods.
- She tests him by making him thread a needle, catch something in between his legs, and throw a bar of lead.
- With shaking hands, I threaded the needle under his piercing gaze.
- I stand and look down at the needle as I thread it with ease and neatly begin stitching.
- You may find yourself having trouble eating with a spoon or fork, drinking from a cup, threading a needle, or writing.
- She sat down, smoothed out her dress, threaded the needle, and began.
- Six needles, already threaded with colored yarn, are laid out next to each other so that the colors of the threads simulate a rainbow of sorts.
- It is frustration like not being able to thread a needle, no matter how hard you try.
- Then he picks up a needle and threads it with thick black thread as he speaks to her.
1. 1.1 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
  Example sentencesExamples
  A line would be threaded through this piece of wood and again through the gun to prevent recoil when the gun was fired.
  APS cameras all auto-load these cartridges, so there is no messing about with threading film through a series of rollers.
  The leads were threaded through a small hole at the bottom of the artificial nest.
  Then he threaded his leftover rope through the hole and secured the shoe with a simple knot.
  Threading the catheter shouldn't cause pain, and you won't feel it moving through your body.
  Thread a short ribbon through slits cut in two sides to make a handle.
  Using an awl or heavy needle, poke two holes through the spine of the book to thread the waxed linen through.
  I pulled on my pants, threading a black leather belt through the belt loops.
  The cameraman would show me how to thread the film and how to repair it.
  A doctor painstakingly threads a thin tube deep into his sedated patient's heart.
  Both types of devices allow the caver to control their descent by applying friction to the rope that is threaded through them.
  This procedure doesn't require threading a catheter into your arteries, as does traditional angiography.
  They use backstrap looms which are attached to a tree and consist of several smooth pieces of wood threaded with the bright cotton used for weaving.
  It was a process a bit like tying a granny knot: twisting one edge of the sausage rope into a loop, then threading the other end through, looping it, and twisting again.
  Since you don't have nerve endings in the brain, the patient can be completely awake as you thread the lead down in the brain.
  The idea: thread a catheter up the femoral artery from the groin or through another blood vessel.
  Lantern clocks originally ran on woven ropes, which were threaded over spikes on ratchet wheels.
  Generally in an angioplasty, doctors thread a catheter through the femoral artery.
  A disc had been cut from the middle and a leather cord was threaded through this hole.
  Synonyms
  pass, string, weave, work, ease, inch, move, push, poke, thrust
2. 1.2no object, with adverbial of direction Move carefully or skillfully in and out of obstacles.
  she threaded her way through the tables
  Example sentencesExamples
  We threaded our way back along the line, around the south side of the rotunda under City Hall's famous gold-trimmed dome.
  We walked through the grasses that must have appeared much the same when Sioux warriors threaded their way towards Custer's men.
  He said a good crowd turned out to watch as the runners, many from Holland, threaded their way through the streets, after starting at the Harwich School, Hall Lane.
  Carefully we threaded our way through the beach maze, around and between and over what seemed like an endless array of towels, blankets, beach umbrellas, and beach chairs.
  The City of London may only cover one square mile, but our journey aboard the 100 appeared to thread around most of it.
  Astonishingly, more than 200 climbers were threading their way up the steep snowfield on that last weekend in May.
  We gingerly threaded our way through the stalled cars back to our building.
  Pedestrians threaded their way unpredictably through the slowly moving mass.
  It was from Manorbier that I persuaded the children to join me in a walk along a small stretch of Pembrokeshire's 186 mile coastal path, threading between heather, sea pinks and campion along a volley of headlands.
  He threaded his way through the crowd, taking up a position beside the president and followed him into the hall, where he sat beside him on the stage.
  Wendy threaded her way around the old firetruck, plodded up the front steps, and continued on up to her room, where she flopped on her bed, staring at the ceiling.
  She picked up my hand and began threading through the crowds, unfazed by strangers' chests and elbows.
  He wanted a car small enough to thread through city streets, yet big enough to take three people and their luggage.
  The group threaded its way up treacherous couloirs and 50-degree snow slopes, cutting steps with ice axes.
  Synonyms
  weave, weave one's way, inch, inch one's way, wind, wind one's way, file, work, work one's way, push, push one's way, squeeze, squeeze one's way, shoulder, shoulder one's way, elbow, elbow one's way, make one's way
3. 1.3 Interweave or intersperse as if with threads.
  his hair had become ill-kempt and threaded with gray
  Example sentencesExamples
  The central spine of mountains, a last fling of the Andean chain, are matted in rainforest, threaded with trails, cooled by waterfalls and home to more birds per square mile than anywhere in the world.
  This is benchmark Australian oaked Chardonnay: ripe fruit is balanced, threaded with firm acidity and finished with a twist of oak.
  The highlights for most listeners were the poems threaded with irony.
  Waves of aromas and flavours of cigar boxes, ripe juicy blackcurrants and spice all harmoniously integrate with perfumed French oak and are threaded with firm acidity.
  This is a boutique style of Pinot, delivering classy, clean, red berry-fruits threaded with firm acidity, spice and toasty oak.
  His eyes were threaded with blood and his face was still pale from the winter but flushed, mottled.
  Knits are threaded with silver, trousers made of advanced cotton fiber and many shirts carry pixel prints.
  Claret lovers will enthuse over this traditional style that delivers blackfruits, pencil shavings, cigar boxes threaded with ripe tannins, all backed by firm acidity.
  The Riesling grape performs well in southern Australia, and this delivers typical notes of limes, peels and petroleum oils, threaded with mouthwatering acidity.
  Her eyes were small and brightly anxious, threaded with fine filaments of blood, and her aquiline nose was now a pug nose in which broken capillaries glowed with a sullen heat.
  The play tells the story of his life amidst the turbulent times of the Penal Laws, and the narrative is threaded with her music.
  His beard was already threaded with grey stubble and his skin had an unnatural pallor.
  It has a traditional cylindrical shape and is threaded with delicate blue veins.
  Assertive, clean, black-fruit flavours are threaded with a necessary acidity and backed by chewy oak.
  In the bathroom, a comb threaded with grey hairs lay on the side of the basin.
  Jostling for your tastebuds' attention is a melee of strawberry and redcurrant jam spiked with spice and harmoniously threaded with elegant oaky notes.
4. 1.4 Put (beads, chunks of food, or other small objects) together or singly on a thread, chain, or skewer that runs through the center of each one.
  Connie sat threading beads
  Example sentencesExamples
  Alternately thread the vegetables on wooden or metal skewers.
  The longlines are threaded with many thousands of hooks and stretch for up to 50 miles.
  At school, my children recently made fruit kebabs, just threading grapes, hulled strawberries and bits of melon and orange on to skewers.
  During the fourth year the child learns to cut with scissors and to thread beads, develops a mature pencil grasp, and learns to draw.
  A weight followed by another smaller bead were threaded on the wire.
  Then thread a small bell with some ribbon, and pull the ribbon up through the hole in the pot.
  Using 4 fine, long, wooden kebab skewers, thread a mixture of ingredients onto each one.
  Long strips of what appeared to be dark meat were threaded onto the last two skewers.
  It's just a case of threading them together like beads on a string, whether they make sense or not.
  Synonyms
  string
2usually as adjective threadedCut a screw thread in or on (a hole, screw, or other object).
Example sentencesExamples
- That way you'll have a little wiggle room to finesse each screw into its respective hole and get it threaded.
- Heron of Alexandria described the screw in Mechanica in the first century A.D., and archeologists have unearthed threaded bolts at early Roman sites.
- At fault was a cadmium-plated, carbon-steel jackscrew threaded through an aluminum pivot block.
- The case is threaded at the base and screws right onto the gauge.
- On the back part of the upper table are two threaded screws.
- Each of the screw holes used to mount the front fan is threaded, and long screws are provided.
- For example, in an old truss section, bolts unexpectedly threaded into concrete made the old bridge sections harder to lift.
- Jonah rigged up a narrow plywood sheet with screws threaded in at various points; it's now our camera mount and steadicam in one.
- To secure the screws, thread the nylon thumbnuts until it reaches the nylon washer, securing it thumb tight.
- The fan has dimensions of 70x70x15, and is held in place with four screws, threaded in the proper manner.
- Sheet metal screws are threaded completely from the point to the head, and the threads are sharper than those of wood screws.
- The second thread quickly joins the first so that the major portion of the screw remains single threaded.
- The tools can perform internal turning, grooving and threading in holes as small as 1-mm diameter.
- For hardwoods, such as flooring, siding and rafters, use spiral threaded nails that turn as they are driven into the wood.
- He squats beside the machine, threading a screw the size of a flea, his eyes watering, face crimson and swollen.
- These include implants that are noncoated, tapered, and threaded in design, and which are immediate-load in nature to allow for delivery in a single procedure.
- Another brass screw was threaded into the side of the wooden body to clamp the position of the depth guide.
- Where the strainer is threaded underneath, a washer slips on and then a lock nut is tightened down until the putty oozes out.
- What they do is to drill a pilot hole in the bolt, and place a bit into the hole that is reverse threaded so that while you are tightening up the bit, it is backing out the bolt.
- The forward ring of the receiver is slit and then threaded for a fairly large Allen screw which effectively clamps the barrel.

Phrases

hang by a thread

Be in a highly precarious state.
Example sentencesExamples
- So the legendary highwayman's fame may hang by a thread: a chance story told to a boy who remembered it and grew up to become a novelist.
- Several of those species hang by a thread, with less than a few hundred individuals surviving.
- The tax authorities must be aware that York City's future hangs by a thread.
- With their titles hopes hanging by a thread - they trail leaders Alfreton by 12 points, but with four games in hand - every victory has added importance for Pickering.
- As things stand, a season that began with the usual high hopes of success in Europe still hangs by a thread.
- Mountain gorilla populations are extremely tenuous and chimpanzees are hanging by a thread.
- But whatever had triggered it - impulsiveness, buttressing his position, or to soothe whatever remained of his conscience - his position hung by a thread.
- Now Louis is fully recovered, and it is hard to believe looking at this happy little boy that his life once hung by a thread.
- Many jobs are hanging by a thread with the Small Firms Association warning yesterday that thousands of jobs are at risk this year.
- Their sanity is obviously hanging by a thread as it is.
Synonyms
uncertain, insecure, unreliable, unsure, unpredictable, undependable, risky, hazardous, dangerous, unsafe, hanging by a thread, hanging in the balance, perilous, treacherous, on a slippery slope, on thin ice, touch-and-go, built on sand, doubtful, dubious, delicate, tricky, problematic

lose the (or one's) thread

Be unable to follow what someone is saying or remember what one is going to say next.
Example sentencesExamples
- I lost my thread a couple of times after I'd ad-libbed some new bits.
- You've made me lose my thread.
- Even so, the story sometimes wanders and risks losing the thread of the narrative.
- And so the conversation will be interrupted for them to explain what it is, who's in it, and by the time they've finished they've lost their thread completely.
- She was losing her thread, but she tried again, and grinned desperately.
- At this point I lost my thread and was unable to write a further paragraph.
- I have been at home at the start of one of these drama episodes, been out for a game of soccer, had a long bike ride home and a pizza and still not lost the thread of the story.
- It wasn't so bad if she did her work without really thinking about it, allowed her body to function autonomously, and let her mind wander and sometimes even lose the thread completely.
- It's achingly frustrating for the count to keep losing his thread, his memory, his balance.
- Throughout our chat their fingers continue to fly around their latest creations, knotting a string here and threading a string there without ever losing the thread of their conversation.

Origin

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

单词	thread
释义	Definition of thread in English: thread noun θrɛdθrɛd 1A long, thin strand of cotton, nylon, or other fibres used in sewing or weaving. he had a loose thread on his shirt figurative the thread that bound them had snapped Example sentencesExamples Sometimes the threads are woven inaccurately, need to be pulled, and the section started again. Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. Most carpets are woven on a vertical loom, so that the threads which emerge from the knots hang downwards towards the end where the weaving started, and these loops are cut to form the pile. Many framers use a cotton thread with just enough tensile strength to effectively hold the item, but not too much to cause damage. Weave the threads of all customer interactions into a unified portrait of your customer. I smiled and picked at a loose thread on the comforter. Simeon was silent for a moment, picking a loose thread on the plain white cotton sheets. He worries a loose thread on my shirt between his fingertips. To finish off the thread ends, tie the threads and weave them back into the hem. The superfine finish is so supple, lustrous and perfect that the mats look like they have been woven from silk threads. These threads are woven into textile yarns to produce sacks, carpet base, mats, rope and twine and many other materials. Iraq is also famous for its carpets, woven from fine threads in brilliant colors. You can also use textured-nylon or polyester threads on a conventional sewing machine. Woven gauzes are manufactured from cotton yam or threads and woven like fabric. Each time you return to the puzzle, you pick up the same threads and weave a different cloth. She sighed and let her hands rest on her lap, her fingers absently playing with a loose thread of cotton. My own coat was still draped over the chair by the door, but even from where I stood I could see loose threads dangling from the seams. Up close, her process of dyeing and then weaving the newly colored threads on a loom became more evident. With the other hand he picked at a loose thread in the old quilt. A seven-year-old girl in the village, for example, already knows how to operate the loom and how to weave the threads. 1.1mass noun Cotton, nylon, or other fibres spun into long, thin strands and used for sewing. she put her needle and thread away Example sentencesExamples The skirt flows freely around and around, and the ends are fringed with little brown strands of thread. The garments were hung on fabric-covered padded rods and suspended from the ceiling by nylon filament thread. Out of nowhere, she's got needle and thread in one hand, and in the space of a heartbeat, she's pulled her chair beside mine. Thread the machine with white thread or clear monofilament nylon thread in the needle. Armed with the strongest and finest cotton thread in the world, Bolton's weavers were able to produce the finest cotton material in the world. To my surprise, Emma takes some needle and thread out of one of her pockets. The cotton would be cleaned and then spun into yarn or thread. She was on a production line that spins cotton thread onto the spools. The rest of the dress looked to be made of white gold spun into thread. Handiness with a needle and thread made her eldest child the obvious choice for such a task. Using a needle and thread, they stitched the flowers over the sword-shaped petals. We do not know where she got the needle from because neither of us can remember the last time we used a needle and thread. He went inside and came across a beautiful woman spinning golden thread. Someone had taken a needle and thread to the cut along the side. After the nurse stitched the wound with a sewing needle and cotton thread, the mother and baby were transferred and treated by Dr King and his colleagues at the nearest hospital. So, I grabbed a needle and some thread and stitched it up a bit. I have crewel yarn and silk thread, and I'm determined to make something of it. Drape it over the lid, folding into little pleats around the edge, and secure with waxed twine or embroidery thread. I prefer keeping a needle and thread on hand, just in case. Consequently, scores of young women plan to learn some fundamentals of the art of thread and needle in order to become more charming to their lovers. Synonyms yarn, cotton, filament, fibre, strand, string, twine, line ply 1.2literary A long, thin line or piece of something. the Thames was a thread of silver below them Example sentencesExamples The glittering threads of rivers twisted their way to the sea and Hayes could just make out the lighter wash where they discharged sediment. The older woman looked much like Jenna, only her face had a few more lines and the long black hair was touched with threads of silver. It was the suddenness with which the drop opened, more than a thousand feet from Hualapai Hilltop to the pale thread of the track below, that took my breath away. Now that he's close, I can see a few threads of silver in the thick black hair. Her hair had silver threads in it, and on her face were the beginnings of lines. Synonyms streak, strand, stripe, line, striation, strip, seam, vein, belt, bar, swathe 2A 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 Example sentencesExamples In fact, the recursive aspect of confirming predictions and orchestrating multiple cues is a common thread throughout this article. Providing too much detailed information to the policy maker was a common thread running through the symposium. A common thread throughout this discourse is the sense that members of the subjugated regime are outside the mainstream. The subject of the nightmare and its characters change, but there is a common thread to the plot, namely that I am not strong or fast enough to prevent whatever horrors befall me. Their common thread is the belief in a free and open society that readily shares information and knowledge to collectively improve on the world we live in. We can detect that mockery as a characteristic thread throughout the oeuvre. The common thread among the superstars is that they all reached the major leagues at a very early age. Flick through a list of his bestselling books and you will soon pick up on the common thread running through them. The common thread that ran throughout the entire discussion focused on the chasm that sometimes exists between teachers and retailers. And throughout, the common thread is the implications of property rights. The common thread is ideological certainty untroubled by empirical evidence, intellectual curiosity, or open debate. If there is a common thread in all of this, it is the sense of entitlement. She insists there is a common thread running through the show, despite the fact that it features work and artists that refuse to be pigeonholed. While techno is the common thread throughout all ten songs, the material is by turns raucous and gentle, even sweet. A common thread through most of the stories is the support from the family. The common thread in both situations is the communication of information in confidence to an adviser or therapeutic counsellor. Earlier phases in its history have emphasized different characteristics, but a common thread remains. The common thread running throughout this collection is the human figure. Every prisoner has a story, he says, although there's often a common thread running through each. Another common thread running through the stories is that of relationships gone awry. Synonyms train of thought, drift, direction, sense, theme, subject matter, motif, tenor, strain, thrust, subject, gist, burden, action plot, storyline, scenario 2.1 A group of linked messages posted on an Internet forum that share a common subject or theme. Example sentencesExamples One of the unexpected benefits of posting the article to a newsgroup was that a thread developed on the subject of competition on the London to Manchester route. No, he didn't say any of that, he just sent us a link to the discussion thread. Since discussion threads are linked to individual news items or essays, discussions are quite limited temporally. If you have any problems that aren't resolved here, then you can post on the forum thread by clicking here I know there are other threads on this subject, but they are more specific in nature. 2.2Computing A programming structure or process formed by linking a number of separate elements or subroutines, especially each of the tasks executed concurrently in multithreading. Example sentencesExamples The dual-core processors that can process several computational threads at the same time very often push us towards this working algorithm. A processor equipped with thread-level parallelism can execute completely separate threads of code. All processes are considered threads by the operating system. It solves the performance problem by executing all requests as threads in one process, or in a load-balanced system, in one process per server in the cluster. Multiple streams of data are characteristic of applications which execute multiple threads and processes in parallel. 3A 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. Example sentencesExamples Cadmium plating or the use of anti-galling paints are effective in preventing seizure of bolt threads. Standards for threads and bolt sizes were only a part of the problem, however. A gouge auger is similar, but instead of a screw thread there is a sharp-ended tube with a slot cut in the side. She took a standard coffee pot and put a perforated cylinder - similar to a sieve - in the middle, into which she put a plunger on a screw thread. This can be done either by putting a screw thread of the correct pitch on the barrel's axle or, more often, by shifting a lever. 4threadsNorth American informal Clothes. his fine threads and fashionable specs Example sentencesExamples Remember; you are never forced to buy anything you try on, so don't feel guilty about trying on different threads. Whether you pile your clothes on your chair or hang up any shirt on any hanger, these tips will help your favorite threads last. They'll usually purchase several trendy pieces every season and then match them with more classic threads. Besides, what's the point of wearing the coolest threads of the season if your jacket doesn't say it all? The thing is, you can purchase all the brand-name items you like, but if you roll in and out of bed at the start and end of the day, then no one will really notice your stylish threads. Next, I suggest you make an effort to drag him along when you go shopping, and occasionally treat him to some fashionable threads. When it comes to shopping for vintage threads, the place to do it is online. I know you're looking forward to showing off your newest spring threads at the office and on weekends, but the right jacket can take your look to a whole new level. Going out may seem like a drag when you don't know what to wear, but we have the threads to help you look like you own the place. Anybody have a place to get cool threads on the net? Wear it with jeans and your other trendy threads. I'd love to dress up in the latest threads from designer brands, but I'm a student and just cannot afford it. Instead, they look for classic threads that are comfortable and of superior quality. Shopping for threads is more like a chore - most guys do it out of necessity. We'd love to stay outdoors all the time, run off on adventurous weekend trips, and shop for new threads and sandals. If you're the guy with the most stylish threads, the ladies will be falling head over heels. Whether you're at the office or the coolest club in town, you'll need the threads to make you the man of the winter hour. So maybe you don't have the perfect body, perfect hair or perfect threads but who does? Now it's your job to find high-quality threads in classic styles. The new womenswear and menswear designer emporiums showcase threads from cutting edge houses, but you can still buy tartan shortbread in the food hall. Synonyms outfit, clothes, costume, ensemble, suit, clothing, dress, attire, garments, garb, turnout, rig, uniform, livery, array, regalia, robes, finery verb θrɛdθrɛd [with object] 1Pass 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 she threaded up the machine with the right cotton Example sentencesExamples I have to thread the needles for her but she suggested we keep several threaded at one time so she could work for longer periods. For example, even simple acts like threading a needle or pouring a drink into a cup can become a challenge. She tests him by making him thread a needle, catch something in between his legs, and throw a bar of lead. I demonstrated how to thread the blunt tapestry needle, where to place the knot and how to hold and move the needle when stitching. Then he picks up a needle and threads it with thick black thread as he speaks to her. I threaded up a needle with linen thread, and took one of the new-cut pieces of fabric and folded back a hem, and began my work. It is frustration like not being able to thread a needle, no matter how hard you try. He begins to accept the new lifestyle, helping his grandmother to thread a needle, hang up clothes on the clothesline, and shop with her at the market. Six needles, already threaded with colored yarn, are laid out next to each other so that the colors of the threads simulate a rainbow of sorts. She couldn't see the hole to thread the needle, and upon sticking it into the fabric she poked herself again. She sat down, smoothed out her dress, threaded the needle, and began. Men are nimble enough with the chopsticks, but threading the needle takes patience. To thread texturized nylon, use a needle threader or put a dab of seam sealant on the thread end and let it dry before threading the needle. Mama pretended to busy herself with threading a needle, but I could tell that it was only show. With shaking hands, I threaded the needle under his piercing gaze. I stand and look down at the needle as I thread it with ease and neatly begin stitching. Use this needle if you have difficulty threading needles. When the right pair was found, the woman was able to thread a needle again. You may find yourself having trouble eating with a spoon or fork, drinking from a cup, threading a needle, or writing. She finishes threading the needle, and examines it for a moment. 1.1with object and adverbial of direction 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 Example sentencesExamples APS cameras all auto-load these cartridges, so there is no messing about with threading film through a series of rollers. The leads were threaded through a small hole at the bottom of the artificial nest. Both types of devices allow the caver to control their descent by applying friction to the rope that is threaded through them. A doctor painstakingly threads a thin tube deep into his sedated patient's heart. Then he threaded his leftover rope through the hole and secured the shoe with a simple knot. Since you don't have nerve endings in the brain, the patient can be completely awake as you thread the lead down in the brain. A disc had been cut from the middle and a leather cord was threaded through this hole. Generally in an angioplasty, doctors thread a catheter through the femoral artery. The cameraman would show me how to thread the film and how to repair it. A line would be threaded through this piece of wood and again through the gun to prevent recoil when the gun was fired. I pulled on my pants, threading a black leather belt through the belt loops. Lantern clocks originally ran on woven ropes, which were threaded over spikes on ratchet wheels. This procedure doesn't require threading a catheter into your arteries, as does traditional angiography. Threading the catheter shouldn't cause pain, and you won't feel it moving through your body. Thread a short ribbon through slits cut in two sides to make a handle. It was a process a bit like tying a granny knot: twisting one edge of the sausage rope into a loop, then threading the other end through, looping it, and twisting again. They use backstrap looms which are attached to a tree and consist of several smooth pieces of wood threaded with the bright cotton used for weaving. The idea: thread a catheter up the femoral artery from the groin or through another blood vessel. Using an awl or heavy needle, poke two holes through the spine of the book to thread the waxed linen through. Synonyms pass, string, weave, work, ease, inch, move, push, poke, thrust 1.2no object, with adverbial of direction Move carefully or skilfully in and out of obstacles. she threaded her way through the tables Example sentencesExamples She picked up my hand and began threading through the crowds, unfazed by strangers' chests and elbows. The City of London may only cover one square mile, but our journey aboard the 100 appeared to thread around most of it. He threaded his way through the crowd, taking up a position beside the president and followed him into the hall, where he sat beside him on the stage. He wanted a car small enough to thread through city streets, yet big enough to take three people and their luggage. He said a good crowd turned out to watch as the runners, many from Holland, threaded their way through the streets, after starting at the Harwich School, Hall Lane. It was from Manorbier that I persuaded the children to join me in a walk along a small stretch of Pembrokeshire's 186 mile coastal path, threading between heather, sea pinks and campion along a volley of headlands. Astonishingly, more than 200 climbers were threading their way up the steep snowfield on that last weekend in May. We threaded our way back along the line, around the south side of the rotunda under City Hall's famous gold-trimmed dome. Carefully we threaded our way through the beach maze, around and between and over what seemed like an endless array of towels, blankets, beach umbrellas, and beach chairs. The group threaded its way up treacherous couloirs and 50-degree snow slopes, cutting steps with ice axes. We walked through the grasses that must have appeared much the same when Sioux warriors threaded their way towards Custer's men. Wendy threaded her way around the old firetruck, plodded up the front steps, and continued on up to her room, where she flopped on her bed, staring at the ceiling. We gingerly threaded our way through the stalled cars back to our building. Pedestrians threaded their way unpredictably through the slowly moving mass. Synonyms weave (one's way), inch (one's way), wind (one's way), file, work (one's way), push (one's way), squeeze (one's way), shoulder (one's way), elbow (one's way), make one's way progress, pass 1.3 Interweave or intersperse as if with threads. his hair had become ill-kempt and threaded with grey Example sentencesExamples This is benchmark Australian oaked Chardonnay: ripe fruit is balanced, threaded with firm acidity and finished with a twist of oak. The play tells the story of his life amidst the turbulent times of the Penal Laws, and the narrative is threaded with her music. Waves of aromas and flavours of cigar boxes, ripe juicy blackcurrants and spice all harmoniously integrate with perfumed French oak and are threaded with firm acidity. Knits are threaded with silver, trousers made of advanced cotton fiber and many shirts carry pixel prints. The Riesling grape performs well in southern Australia, and this delivers typical notes of limes, peels and petroleum oils, threaded with mouthwatering acidity. Claret lovers will enthuse over this traditional style that delivers blackfruits, pencil shavings, cigar boxes threaded with ripe tannins, all backed by firm acidity. Her eyes were small and brightly anxious, threaded with fine filaments of blood, and her aquiline nose was now a pug nose in which broken capillaries glowed with a sullen heat. The highlights for most listeners were the poems threaded with irony. The central spine of mountains, a last fling of the Andean chain, are matted in rainforest, threaded with trails, cooled by waterfalls and home to more birds per square mile than anywhere in the world. This is a boutique style of Pinot, delivering classy, clean, red berry-fruits threaded with firm acidity, spice and toasty oak. His beard was already threaded with grey stubble and his skin had an unnatural pallor. His eyes were threaded with blood and his face was still pale from the winter but flushed, mottled. Assertive, clean, black-fruit flavours are threaded with a necessary acidity and backed by chewy oak. Jostling for your tastebuds' attention is a melee of strawberry and redcurrant jam spiked with spice and harmoniously threaded with elegant oaky notes. In the bathroom, a comb threaded with grey hairs lay on the side of the basin. It has a traditional cylindrical shape and is threaded with delicate blue veins. 1.4 Put (beads or other small objects) on a thread, chain, etc. Constance sat threading beads Example sentencesExamples Long strips of what appeared to be dark meat were threaded onto the last two skewers. The longlines are threaded with many thousands of hooks and stretch for up to 50 miles. At school, my children recently made fruit kebabs, just threading grapes, hulled strawberries and bits of melon and orange on to skewers. Then thread a small bell with some ribbon, and pull the ribbon up through the hole in the pot. Alternately thread the vegetables on wooden or metal skewers. A weight followed by another smaller bead were threaded on the wire. It's just a case of threading them together like beads on a string, whether they make sense or not. Using 4 fine, long, wooden kebab skewers, thread a mixture of ingredients onto each one. During the fourth year the child learns to cut with scissors and to thread beads, develops a mature pencil grasp, and learns to draw. Synonyms string 2usually as adjective threadedCut a screw thread in or on (a hole, screw, or other object) two threaded holes for machine screws the outer jaw is bored and threaded for set screws Example sentencesExamples Another brass screw was threaded into the side of the wooden body to clamp the position of the depth guide. The tools can perform internal turning, grooving and threading in holes as small as 1-mm diameter. At fault was a cadmium-plated, carbon-steel jackscrew threaded through an aluminum pivot block. To secure the screws, thread the nylon thumbnuts until it reaches the nylon washer, securing it thumb tight. He squats beside the machine, threading a screw the size of a flea, his eyes watering, face crimson and swollen. The fan has dimensions of 70x70x15, and is held in place with four screws, threaded in the proper manner. For example, in an old truss section, bolts unexpectedly threaded into concrete made the old bridge sections harder to lift. That way you'll have a little wiggle room to finesse each screw into its respective hole and get it threaded. These include implants that are noncoated, tapered, and threaded in design, and which are immediate-load in nature to allow for delivery in a single procedure. The second thread quickly joins the first so that the major portion of the screw remains single threaded. Where the strainer is threaded underneath, a washer slips on and then a lock nut is tightened down until the putty oozes out. Each of the screw holes used to mount the front fan is threaded, and long screws are provided. For hardwoods, such as flooring, siding and rafters, use spiral threaded nails that turn as they are driven into the wood. The case is threaded at the base and screws right onto the gauge. Sheet metal screws are threaded completely from the point to the head, and the threads are sharper than those of wood screws. Jonah rigged up a narrow plywood sheet with screws threaded in at various points; it's now our camera mount and steadicam in one. On the back part of the upper table are two threaded screws. The forward ring of the receiver is slit and then threaded for a fairly large Allen screw which effectively clamps the barrel. Heron of Alexandria described the screw in Mechanica in the first century A.D., and archeologists have unearthed threaded bolts at early Roman sites. What they do is to drill a pilot hole in the bolt, and place a bit into the hole that is reverse threaded so that while you are tightening up the bit, it is backing out the bolt. Phrases hang by a thread Be in a highly precarious state. their lives were hanging by a thread Example sentencesExamples But whatever had triggered it - impulsiveness, buttressing his position, or to soothe whatever remained of his conscience - his position hung by a thread. Their sanity is obviously hanging by a thread as it is. Many jobs are hanging by a thread with the Small Firms Association warning yesterday that thousands of jobs are at risk this year. So the legendary highwayman's fame may hang by a thread: a chance story told to a boy who remembered it and grew up to become a novelist. With their titles hopes hanging by a thread - they trail leaders Alfreton by 12 points, but with four games in hand - every victory has added importance for Pickering. Several of those species hang by a thread, with less than a few hundred individuals surviving. Now Louis is fully recovered, and it is hard to believe looking at this happy little boy that his life once hung by a thread. Mountain gorilla populations are extremely tenuous and chimpanzees are hanging by a thread. The tax authorities must be aware that York City's future hangs by a thread. As things stand, a season that began with the usual high hopes of success in Europe still hangs by a thread. Synonyms uncertain, insecure, unreliable, unsure, unpredictable, undependable, risky, hazardous, dangerous, unsafe, hanging by a thread, hanging in the balance, perilous, treacherous, on a slippery slope, on thin ice, touch-and-go, built on sand, doubtful, dubious, delicate, tricky, problematic lose the (or one's) thread Be unable to follow what someone is saying or remember what one is going to say next. she lost the thread of the conversation after a time Example sentencesExamples You've made me lose my thread. Throughout our chat their fingers continue to fly around their latest creations, knotting a string here and threading a string there without ever losing the thread of their conversation. At this point I lost my thread and was unable to write a further paragraph. Even so, the story sometimes wanders and risks losing the thread of the narrative. I lost my thread a couple of times after I'd ad-libbed some new bits. She was losing her thread, but she tried again, and grinned desperately. I have been at home at the start of one of these drama episodes, been out for a game of soccer, had a long bike ride home and a pizza and still not lost the thread of the story. It's achingly frustrating for the count to keep losing his thread, his memory, his balance. And so the conversation will be interrupted for them to explain what it is, who's in it, and by the time they've finished they've lost their thread completely. It wasn't so bad if she did her work without really thinking about it, allowed her body to function autonomously, and let her mind wander and sometimes even lose the thread completely. Derivatives thread-like adjectiveˈθrɛdlʌɪk So we left the chatter at the refreshment kiosk and did just that, explored the place off the beaten track, navigating rock to rock, picking up thread-like paths through the heather. Example sentencesExamples The spinal cord, which runs from the brain down through the bony spinal column, contains thread-like nerves that branch off to every part of the body. Genes, the organizers of inheritance, are composed of DNA, thread-like molecules which carry the hereditary instructions needed to build an organism and make it work. Our body cells contain 23 pairs of thread-like structures called chromosomes. Between 5 and 10 percent of stillborn babies have abnormalities involving their chromosomes, the tiny thread-like structures in each cell that carry our genes. Origin Old English thrǣd (noun), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch draad and German Draht, also to the verb throw. The verb dates from late Middle English. A Germanic word distantly related to throw. The expression hang by a thread goes back to the 16th century, and comes from the legend of Damocles. He was a flattering courtier of Dionysius I, ruler of Syracuse in Sicily in the 4th century bc, who constantly told his ruler that he must be the happiest of men. Eventually the king decided to give Damocles a graphic demonstration of how fragile his happiness was. Dionysius invited him to a sumptuous banquet, but then Damocles realized he had been seated under a sword suspended by a single hair right above his head. The legend has also given us the expression a sword of Damocles for an imminent danger or ever-present threat. Rhymes abed, ahead, bed, behead, Birkenhead, bled, bread, bred, coed, cred, crossbred, dead, dread, Ed, embed, Enzed, fed, fled, Fred, gainsaid, head, infrared, ked, lead, led, Med, misled, misread, Ned, outspread, premed, pure-bred, read, red, redd, said, samoyed, shed, shred, sked, sled, sped, Spithead, spread, stead, ted, tread, underbred, underfed, wed noun.1 phr. Definition of thread in US English: thread nounθrɛdTHred 1A long, thin strand of cotton, nylon, or other fibers used in sewing or weaving. Example sentencesExamples The superfine finish is so supple, lustrous and perfect that the mats look like they have been woven from silk threads. Weave the threads of all customer interactions into a unified portrait of your customer. My own coat was still draped over the chair by the door, but even from where I stood I could see loose threads dangling from the seams. You can also use textured-nylon or polyester threads on a conventional sewing machine. Most carpets are woven on a vertical loom, so that the threads which emerge from the knots hang downwards towards the end where the weaving started, and these loops are cut to form the pile. Woven gauzes are manufactured from cotton yam or threads and woven like fabric. She sighed and let her hands rest on her lap, her fingers absently playing with a loose thread of cotton. Many framers use a cotton thread with just enough tensile strength to effectively hold the item, but not too much to cause damage. I smiled and picked at a loose thread on the comforter. Simeon was silent for a moment, picking a loose thread on the plain white cotton sheets. These threads are woven into textile yarns to produce sacks, carpet base, mats, rope and twine and many other materials. Each time you return to the puzzle, you pick up the same threads and weave a different cloth. Up close, her process of dyeing and then weaving the newly colored threads on a loom became more evident. To finish off the thread ends, tie the threads and weave them back into the hem. Asbestos is the name of a group of minerals that occur naturally as masses of strong, flexible fibers that can be separated into thin threads and woven. A seven-year-old girl in the village, for example, already knows how to operate the loom and how to weave the threads. With the other hand he picked at a loose thread in the old quilt. Iraq is also famous for its carpets, woven from fine threads in brilliant colors. He worries a loose thread on my shirt between his fingertips. Sometimes the threads are woven inaccurately, need to be pulled, and the section started again. 1.1 Cotton, nylon, or other fibers spun into long, thin strands and used for sewing. Example sentencesExamples The skirt flows freely around and around, and the ends are fringed with little brown strands of thread. He went inside and came across a beautiful woman spinning golden thread. Handiness with a needle and thread made her eldest child the obvious choice for such a task. The cotton would be cleaned and then spun into yarn or thread. We do not know where she got the needle from because neither of us can remember the last time we used a needle and thread. Consequently, scores of young women plan to learn some fundamentals of the art of thread and needle in order to become more charming to their lovers. I have crewel yarn and silk thread, and I'm determined to make something of it. Drape it over the lid, folding into little pleats around the edge, and secure with waxed twine or embroidery thread. The garments were hung on fabric-covered padded rods and suspended from the ceiling by nylon filament thread. To my surprise, Emma takes some needle and thread out of one of her pockets. Someone had taken a needle and thread to the cut along the side. After the nurse stitched the wound with a sewing needle and cotton thread, the mother and baby were transferred and treated by Dr King and his colleagues at the nearest hospital. I prefer keeping a needle and thread on hand, just in case. Using a needle and thread, they stitched the flowers over the sword-shaped petals. So, I grabbed a needle and some thread and stitched it up a bit. She was on a production line that spins cotton thread onto the spools. Thread the machine with white thread or clear monofilament nylon thread in the needle. Armed with the strongest and finest cotton thread in the world, Bolton's weavers were able to produce the finest cotton material in the world. Out of nowhere, she's got needle and thread in one hand, and in the space of a heartbeat, she's pulled her chair beside mine. The rest of the dress looked to be made of white gold spun into thread. Synonyms yarn, cotton, filament, fibre, strand, string, twine, line 1.2literary A long, thin line or piece of something. the river was a thread of silver below them Example sentencesExamples Now that he's close, I can see a few threads of silver in the thick black hair. Her hair had silver threads in it, and on her face were the beginnings of lines. The glittering threads of rivers twisted their way to the sea and Hayes could just make out the lighter wash where they discharged sediment. It was the suddenness with which the drop opened, more than a thousand feet from Hualapai Hilltop to the pale thread of the track below, that took my breath away. The older woman looked much like Jenna, only her face had a few more lines and the long black hair was touched with threads of silver. Synonyms streak, strand, stripe, line, striation, strip, seam, vein, belt, bar, swathe 2A theme or characteristic, typically forming one of several, running throughout a situation or piece of writing. a common thread running through the scandals was the failure to conduct audits Example sentencesExamples Their common thread is the belief in a free and open society that readily shares information and knowledge to collectively improve on the world we live in. If there is a common thread in all of this, it is the sense of entitlement. And throughout, the common thread is the implications of property rights. A common thread throughout this discourse is the sense that members of the subjugated regime are outside the mainstream. Another common thread running through the stories is that of relationships gone awry. The common thread running throughout this collection is the human figure. Flick through a list of his bestselling books and you will soon pick up on the common thread running through them. The common thread in both situations is the communication of information in confidence to an adviser or therapeutic counsellor. In fact, the recursive aspect of confirming predictions and orchestrating multiple cues is a common thread throughout this article. Every prisoner has a story, he says, although there's often a common thread running through each. The common thread among the superstars is that they all reached the major leagues at a very early age. We can detect that mockery as a characteristic thread throughout the oeuvre. The common thread is ideological certainty untroubled by empirical evidence, intellectual curiosity, or open debate. Earlier phases in its history have emphasized different characteristics, but a common thread remains. The subject of the nightmare and its characters change, but there is a common thread to the plot, namely that I am not strong or fast enough to prevent whatever horrors befall me. She insists there is a common thread running through the show, despite the fact that it features work and artists that refuse to be pigeonholed. The common thread that ran throughout the entire discussion focused on the chasm that sometimes exists between teachers and retailers. While techno is the common thread throughout all ten songs, the material is by turns raucous and gentle, even sweet. Providing too much detailed information to the policy maker was a common thread running through the symposium. A common thread through most of the stories is the support from the family. Synonyms train of thought, drift, direction, sense, theme, subject matter, motif, tenor, strain, thrust, subject, gist, burden, action 2.1 A group of linked messages posted on an Internet forum that share a common subject or theme. Example sentencesExamples If you have any problems that aren't resolved here, then you can post on the forum thread by clicking here Since discussion threads are linked to individual news items or essays, discussions are quite limited temporally. One of the unexpected benefits of posting the article to a newsgroup was that a thread developed on the subject of competition on the London to Manchester route. No, he didn't say any of that, he just sent us a link to the discussion thread. I know there are other threads on this subject, but they are more specific in nature. 2.2Computing A programming structure or process formed by linking a number of separate elements or subroutines, especially each of the tasks executed concurrently in multithreading. Example sentencesExamples Multiple streams of data are characteristic of applications which execute multiple threads and processes in parallel. All processes are considered threads by the operating system. The dual-core processors that can process several computational threads at the same time very often push us towards this working algorithm. It solves the performance problem by executing all requests as threads in one process, or in a load-balanced system, in one process per server in the cluster. A processor equipped with thread-level parallelism can execute completely separate threads of code. 3A 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. Example sentencesExamples A gouge auger is similar, but instead of a screw thread there is a sharp-ended tube with a slot cut in the side. Cadmium plating or the use of anti-galling paints are effective in preventing seizure of bolt threads. This can be done either by putting a screw thread of the correct pitch on the barrel's axle or, more often, by shifting a lever. She took a standard coffee pot and put a perforated cylinder - similar to a sieve - in the middle, into which she put a plunger on a screw thread. Standards for threads and bolt sizes were only a part of the problem, however. 4threadsNorth American informal Clothes. Example sentencesExamples Whether you're at the office or the coolest club in town, you'll need the threads to make you the man of the winter hour. Next, I suggest you make an effort to drag him along when you go shopping, and occasionally treat him to some fashionable threads. We'd love to stay outdoors all the time, run off on adventurous weekend trips, and shop for new threads and sandals. Remember; you are never forced to buy anything you try on, so don't feel guilty about trying on different threads. When it comes to shopping for vintage threads, the place to do it is online. Wear it with jeans and your other trendy threads. They'll usually purchase several trendy pieces every season and then match them with more classic threads. The thing is, you can purchase all the brand-name items you like, but if you roll in and out of bed at the start and end of the day, then no one will really notice your stylish threads. The new womenswear and menswear designer emporiums showcase threads from cutting edge houses, but you can still buy tartan shortbread in the food hall. I know you're looking forward to showing off your newest spring threads at the office and on weekends, but the right jacket can take your look to a whole new level. Besides, what's the point of wearing the coolest threads of the season if your jacket doesn't say it all? Shopping for threads is more like a chore - most guys do it out of necessity. If you're the guy with the most stylish threads, the ladies will be falling head over heels. Instead, they look for classic threads that are comfortable and of superior quality. Anybody have a place to get cool threads on the net? Now it's your job to find high-quality threads in classic styles. Going out may seem like a drag when you don't know what to wear, but we have the threads to help you look like you own the place. Whether you pile your clothes on your chair or hang up any shirt on any hanger, these tips will help your favorite threads last. I'd love to dress up in the latest threads from designer brands, but I'm a student and just cannot afford it. So maybe you don't have the perfect body, perfect hair or perfect threads but who does? Synonyms outfit, clothes, costume, ensemble, suit, clothing, dress, attire, garments, garb, turnout, rig, uniform, livery, array, regalia, robes, finery verbθrɛdTHred [with object] 1Pass a thread through the eye of (a needle) or through the needle and guides of (a sewing machine). Example sentencesExamples To thread texturized nylon, use a needle threader or put a dab of seam sealant on the thread end and let it dry before threading the needle. Mama pretended to busy herself with threading a needle, but I could tell that it was only show. When the right pair was found, the woman was able to thread a needle again. For example, even simple acts like threading a needle or pouring a drink into a cup can become a challenge. She couldn't see the hole to thread the needle, and upon sticking it into the fabric she poked herself again. Use this needle if you have difficulty threading needles. He begins to accept the new lifestyle, helping his grandmother to thread a needle, hang up clothes on the clothesline, and shop with her at the market. Men are nimble enough with the chopsticks, but threading the needle takes patience. I threaded up a needle with linen thread, and took one of the new-cut pieces of fabric and folded back a hem, and began my work. She finishes threading the needle, and examines it for a moment. I demonstrated how to thread the blunt tapestry needle, where to place the knot and how to hold and move the needle when stitching. I have to thread the needles for her but she suggested we keep several threaded at one time so she could work for longer periods. She tests him by making him thread a needle, catch something in between his legs, and throw a bar of lead. With shaking hands, I threaded the needle under his piercing gaze. I stand and look down at the needle as I thread it with ease and neatly begin stitching. You may find yourself having trouble eating with a spoon or fork, drinking from a cup, threading a needle, or writing. She sat down, smoothed out her dress, threaded the needle, and began. Six needles, already threaded with colored yarn, are laid out next to each other so that the colors of the threads simulate a rainbow of sorts. It is frustration like not being able to thread a needle, no matter how hard you try. Then he picks up a needle and threads it with thick black thread as he speaks to her. 1.1 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 Example sentencesExamples A line would be threaded through this piece of wood and again through the gun to prevent recoil when the gun was fired. APS cameras all auto-load these cartridges, so there is no messing about with threading film through a series of rollers. The leads were threaded through a small hole at the bottom of the artificial nest. Then he threaded his leftover rope through the hole and secured the shoe with a simple knot. Threading the catheter shouldn't cause pain, and you won't feel it moving through your body. Thread a short ribbon through slits cut in two sides to make a handle. Using an awl or heavy needle, poke two holes through the spine of the book to thread the waxed linen through. I pulled on my pants, threading a black leather belt through the belt loops. The cameraman would show me how to thread the film and how to repair it. A doctor painstakingly threads a thin tube deep into his sedated patient's heart. Both types of devices allow the caver to control their descent by applying friction to the rope that is threaded through them. This procedure doesn't require threading a catheter into your arteries, as does traditional angiography. They use backstrap looms which are attached to a tree and consist of several smooth pieces of wood threaded with the bright cotton used for weaving. It was a process a bit like tying a granny knot: twisting one edge of the sausage rope into a loop, then threading the other end through, looping it, and twisting again. Since you don't have nerve endings in the brain, the patient can be completely awake as you thread the lead down in the brain. The idea: thread a catheter up the femoral artery from the groin or through another blood vessel. Lantern clocks originally ran on woven ropes, which were threaded over spikes on ratchet wheels. Generally in an angioplasty, doctors thread a catheter through the femoral artery. A disc had been cut from the middle and a leather cord was threaded through this hole. Synonyms pass, string, weave, work, ease, inch, move, push, poke, thrust 1.2no object, with adverbial of direction Move carefully or skillfully in and out of obstacles. she threaded her way through the tables Example sentencesExamples We threaded our way back along the line, around the south side of the rotunda under City Hall's famous gold-trimmed dome. We walked through the grasses that must have appeared much the same when Sioux warriors threaded their way towards Custer's men. He said a good crowd turned out to watch as the runners, many from Holland, threaded their way through the streets, after starting at the Harwich School, Hall Lane. Carefully we threaded our way through the beach maze, around and between and over what seemed like an endless array of towels, blankets, beach umbrellas, and beach chairs. The City of London may only cover one square mile, but our journey aboard the 100 appeared to thread around most of it. Astonishingly, more than 200 climbers were threading their way up the steep snowfield on that last weekend in May. We gingerly threaded our way through the stalled cars back to our building. Pedestrians threaded their way unpredictably through the slowly moving mass. It was from Manorbier that I persuaded the children to join me in a walk along a small stretch of Pembrokeshire's 186 mile coastal path, threading between heather, sea pinks and campion along a volley of headlands. He threaded his way through the crowd, taking up a position beside the president and followed him into the hall, where he sat beside him on the stage. Wendy threaded her way around the old firetruck, plodded up the front steps, and continued on up to her room, where she flopped on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She picked up my hand and began threading through the crowds, unfazed by strangers' chests and elbows. He wanted a car small enough to thread through city streets, yet big enough to take three people and their luggage. The group threaded its way up treacherous couloirs and 50-degree snow slopes, cutting steps with ice axes. Synonyms weave, weave one's way, inch, inch one's way, wind, wind one's way, file, work, work one's way, push, push one's way, squeeze, squeeze one's way, shoulder, shoulder one's way, elbow, elbow one's way, make one's way 1.3 Interweave or intersperse as if with threads. his hair had become ill-kempt and threaded with gray Example sentencesExamples The central spine of mountains, a last fling of the Andean chain, are matted in rainforest, threaded with trails, cooled by waterfalls and home to more birds per square mile than anywhere in the world. This is benchmark Australian oaked Chardonnay: ripe fruit is balanced, threaded with firm acidity and finished with a twist of oak. The highlights for most listeners were the poems threaded with irony. Waves of aromas and flavours of cigar boxes, ripe juicy blackcurrants and spice all harmoniously integrate with perfumed French oak and are threaded with firm acidity. This is a boutique style of Pinot, delivering classy, clean, red berry-fruits threaded with firm acidity, spice and toasty oak. His eyes were threaded with blood and his face was still pale from the winter but flushed, mottled. Knits are threaded with silver, trousers made of advanced cotton fiber and many shirts carry pixel prints. Claret lovers will enthuse over this traditional style that delivers blackfruits, pencil shavings, cigar boxes threaded with ripe tannins, all backed by firm acidity. The Riesling grape performs well in southern Australia, and this delivers typical notes of limes, peels and petroleum oils, threaded with mouthwatering acidity. Her eyes were small and brightly anxious, threaded with fine filaments of blood, and her aquiline nose was now a pug nose in which broken capillaries glowed with a sullen heat. The play tells the story of his life amidst the turbulent times of the Penal Laws, and the narrative is threaded with her music. His beard was already threaded with grey stubble and his skin had an unnatural pallor. It has a traditional cylindrical shape and is threaded with delicate blue veins. Assertive, clean, black-fruit flavours are threaded with a necessary acidity and backed by chewy oak. In the bathroom, a comb threaded with grey hairs lay on the side of the basin. Jostling for your tastebuds' attention is a melee of strawberry and redcurrant jam spiked with spice and harmoniously threaded with elegant oaky notes. 1.4 Put (beads, chunks of food, or other small objects) together or singly on a thread, chain, or skewer that runs through the center of each one. Connie sat threading beads Example sentencesExamples Alternately thread the vegetables on wooden or metal skewers. The longlines are threaded with many thousands of hooks and stretch for up to 50 miles. At school, my children recently made fruit kebabs, just threading grapes, hulled strawberries and bits of melon and orange on to skewers. During the fourth year the child learns to cut with scissors and to thread beads, develops a mature pencil grasp, and learns to draw. A weight followed by another smaller bead were threaded on the wire. Then thread a small bell with some ribbon, and pull the ribbon up through the hole in the pot. Using 4 fine, long, wooden kebab skewers, thread a mixture of ingredients onto each one. Long strips of what appeared to be dark meat were threaded onto the last two skewers. It's just a case of threading them together like beads on a string, whether they make sense or not. Synonyms string 2usually as adjective threadedCut a screw thread in or on (a hole, screw, or other object). Example sentencesExamples That way you'll have a little wiggle room to finesse each screw into its respective hole and get it threaded. Heron of Alexandria described the screw in Mechanica in the first century A.D., and archeologists have unearthed threaded bolts at early Roman sites. At fault was a cadmium-plated, carbon-steel jackscrew threaded through an aluminum pivot block. The case is threaded at the base and screws right onto the gauge. On the back part of the upper table are two threaded screws. Each of the screw holes used to mount the front fan is threaded, and long screws are provided. For example, in an old truss section, bolts unexpectedly threaded into concrete made the old bridge sections harder to lift. Jonah rigged up a narrow plywood sheet with screws threaded in at various points; it's now our camera mount and steadicam in one. To secure the screws, thread the nylon thumbnuts until it reaches the nylon washer, securing it thumb tight. The fan has dimensions of 70x70x15, and is held in place with four screws, threaded in the proper manner. Sheet metal screws are threaded completely from the point to the head, and the threads are sharper than those of wood screws. The second thread quickly joins the first so that the major portion of the screw remains single threaded. The tools can perform internal turning, grooving and threading in holes as small as 1-mm diameter. For hardwoods, such as flooring, siding and rafters, use spiral threaded nails that turn as they are driven into the wood. He squats beside the machine, threading a screw the size of a flea, his eyes watering, face crimson and swollen. These include implants that are noncoated, tapered, and threaded in design, and which are immediate-load in nature to allow for delivery in a single procedure. Another brass screw was threaded into the side of the wooden body to clamp the position of the depth guide. Where the strainer is threaded underneath, a washer slips on and then a lock nut is tightened down until the putty oozes out. What they do is to drill a pilot hole in the bolt, and place a bit into the hole that is reverse threaded so that while you are tightening up the bit, it is backing out the bolt. The forward ring of the receiver is slit and then threaded for a fairly large Allen screw which effectively clamps the barrel. Phrases hang by a thread Be in a highly precarious state. Example sentencesExamples So the legendary highwayman's fame may hang by a thread: a chance story told to a boy who remembered it and grew up to become a novelist. Several of those species hang by a thread, with less than a few hundred individuals surviving. The tax authorities must be aware that York City's future hangs by a thread. With their titles hopes hanging by a thread - they trail leaders Alfreton by 12 points, but with four games in hand - every victory has added importance for Pickering. As things stand, a season that began with the usual high hopes of success in Europe still hangs by a thread. Mountain gorilla populations are extremely tenuous and chimpanzees are hanging by a thread. But whatever had triggered it - impulsiveness, buttressing his position, or to soothe whatever remained of his conscience - his position hung by a thread. Now Louis is fully recovered, and it is hard to believe looking at this happy little boy that his life once hung by a thread. Many jobs are hanging by a thread with the Small Firms Association warning yesterday that thousands of jobs are at risk this year. Their sanity is obviously hanging by a thread as it is. Synonyms uncertain, insecure, unreliable, unsure, unpredictable, undependable, risky, hazardous, dangerous, unsafe, hanging by a thread, hanging in the balance, perilous, treacherous, on a slippery slope, on thin ice, touch-and-go, built on sand, doubtful, dubious, delicate, tricky, problematic lose the (or one's) thread Be unable to follow what someone is saying or remember what one is going to say next. Example sentencesExamples I lost my thread a couple of times after I'd ad-libbed some new bits. You've made me lose my thread. Even so, the story sometimes wanders and risks losing the thread of the narrative. And so the conversation will be interrupted for them to explain what it is, who's in it, and by the time they've finished they've lost their thread completely. She was losing her thread, but she tried again, and grinned desperately. At this point I lost my thread and was unable to write a further paragraph. I have been at home at the start of one of these drama episodes, been out for a game of soccer, had a long bike ride home and a pizza and still not lost the thread of the story. It wasn't so bad if she did her work without really thinking about it, allowed her body to function autonomously, and let her mind wander and sometimes even lose the thread completely. It's achingly frustrating for the count to keep losing his thread, his memory, his balance. Throughout our chat their fingers continue to fly around their latest creations, knotting a string here and threading a string there without ever losing the thread of their conversation. Origin Old English thrǣd (noun), of Germanic origin; related to Dutch draad and German Draht, also to the verb throw. The verb dates from late Middle English. noun.1 phr.
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