strand

Everyday

1. A strand is a single thin thread, hair or wire, or one of several twisted together. tree →
2. A strand is one part of a story, plan or argument. tree →
3. To strand someone means to leave them stuck somewhere with no way to leave; they are stranded. tree →
4. (literary) A strand is a beach or the shore. tree →

In the lessons

In science, DNA is made of two strands twisted into a double helix, and ropes are made of strands. In stories, characters get stranded on desert islands or at airports. In school subjects, a course can have several strands (for example the number strand in maths). Whales sometimes strand themselves on beaches.

Examples

• A strand of hair fell across her face. tree →
• The rope is made of three strands twisted together. tree →
• DNA has two strands. tree →
• The storm stranded us at the airport overnight. tree →
• The sailors were stranded on a desert island. tree →
• A whale was stranded on the beach. tree →
• The book weaves several strands into one story. tree →
• At that moment a young pike suddenly jumped out of the water and fell on the strand. tree →

Note

Countable noun. Stranded is the common adjective: stranded on an island. A strand of hair is one hair; strands of spaghetti. The Strand is also a famous street in London.