strag´gler

strag´gler
strag|gle «STRAG uhl», verb, -gled, -gling, noun.
–v.i.
1. to wander in a scattered fashion: »

Cows straggled along the lane.

SYNONYM(S): roam, range, rove.
2. to stray from the rest; wander: »

to straggle from a herd. Figurative. Children…cannot keep their minds from straggling (John Locke).

3. to spread in an irregular, rambling manner: »

Vines straggled over the yard.

–n.
1. a group or body of scattered persons or objects: »

A straggle of late Victorian tourists totter over a glacier, umbrellas up against the glare (Manchester Guardian Weekly).

2. an irregular or fitful emergence (of something): »

Here are some private utterances of his, throwing a straggle of light on those pots (Thomas Carlyle).

╂[perhaps < unrecorded Middle English strakelen (frequentative) < straken to move, go, extend. Probably related to stretch. (Cf. ↑stretch)]
–strag´gler, noun.

Useful english dictionary. 2012.

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Look at other dictionaries:

  • strag·gler — /ˈstræglɚ/ noun, pl glers [count] : a person or animal that moves slower than others and becomes separated from them People waited for the stragglers to finish the race. The cowboy had to round up a few stragglers …   Useful english dictionary

  • strag — strag·gler; strag·gling·ly; strag·gly; strag·u·lum; strag·gle; …   English syllables

  • strag|gle — «STRAG uhl», verb, gled, gling, noun. –v.i. 1. to wander in a scattered fashion: »Cows straggled along the lane. SYNONYM(S): roam, range, rove. 2. to stray from the rest; wander: »to straggle from a herd. Figurative. Children…cannot keep their… …   Useful english dictionary

  • gler — an·gler; bea·gler; bu·gler; bun·gler; com·min·gler; dan·gler; en·gler; en·gler·o·phoenix; en·tan·gler; fi·na·gler; gar·gler; gig·gler; gog·gler; hag·gler; hig·gler; in·vei·gler; jan·gler; jog·gler; jug·gler; mon·gler; nig·gler; shin·gler;… …   English syllables

  • straggler — strag·gler …   English syllables

  • straggle — strag•gle [[t]ˈstræg əl[/t]] v. i. gled, gling 1) to stray from the road, course, or line of march 2) to wander about; ramble 3) to spread at irregular intervals: trees straggling over the hillside[/ex] • Etymology: 1350–1400; ME straglen, of… …   From formal English to slang

  • straggler — strag|gler [ˈstræglə US ər] n a person or animal that is behind the others in a group, because they are moving more slowly ▪ Wait for the stragglers to catch up …   Dictionary of contemporary English

  • straggler — strag|gler [ stræglər ] noun count someone who is going more slowly than other people …   Usage of the words and phrases in modern English

  • Straggler — Strag gler, n. 1. One who straggles, or departs from the direct or proper course, or from the company to which he belongs; one who falls behind the rest; one who rambles without any settled direction. [1913 Webster] 2. A roving vagabond. Shak.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

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