Get Affordable VMs - excellent virtual server hosting


browse words by letter
a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z

stragglemore about straggle

straggle

 

  3  definitions  found 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Straggle  \Strag"gle\,  n. 
  The  act  of  straggling.  [R.]  --Carlyle. 
 
  From  Webster's  Revised  Unabridged  Dictionary  (1913)  [web1913]: 
 
  Straggle  \Strag"gle\,  v.  i.  [imp.  &  p.  p.  {Straggled};  p.  pr  & 
  vb  n.  {Straggling}.]  [Freq.  of  OE  straken  to  roam,  to 
  stroke.  See  {Stroke},  v.  t.] 
  1.  To  wander  from  the  direct  course  or  way  to  rove;  to 
  stray;  to  wander  from  the  line  of  march  or  desert  the  line 
  of  battle;  as  when  troops  are  on  the  march,  the  men 
  should  not  straggle.  --Dryden. 
 
  2.  To  wander  at  large  to  roam  idly  about  to  ramble. 
 
  The  wolf  spied  out  a  straggling  kid.  --L'Estrange. 
 
  3.  To  escape  or  stretch  beyond  proper  limits,  as  the  branches 
  of  a  plant;  to  spread  widely  apart;  to  shoot  too  far  or 
  widely  in  growth. 
 
  Trim  off  the  small  superfluous  branches  on  each 
  side  of  the  hedge  that  straggle  too  far  out 
  --Mortimer. 
 
  4.  To  be  dispersed  or  separated;  to  occur  at  intervals. 
  ``Straggling  pistol  shots.''  --Sir  W.  Scott. 
 
  They  came  between  Scylla  and  Charybdis  and  the 
  straggling  rocks.  --Sir  W. 
  Raleigh. 
 
  From  WordNet  r  1.6  [wn]: 
 
  straggle 
  n  :  a  wandering  or  disorderly  grouping  (of  things  or  persons); 
  "a  straggle  of  outbuildings";  "a  straggle  of  followers" 
  v  1:  wander  from  a  direct  or  straight  course  [syn:  {stray},  {sidetrack}, 
  {depart},  {digress}] 
  2:  go  come  or  spread  in  a  rambling  or  irregular  way 
  "Branches  straggling  out  quite  far"  [syn:  {sprawl}]




more about straggle