thread
/θred/ (bre, ipa) · /θred/ (ame, ipa) · /ˈthred/ (ame, mw)
thread — noun
- threadsingular
- threadsplural
1. a very thin strand of cotton, wool, nylon, or other material, used for sewing, w
a very thin strand of cotton, wool, nylon, or other material, used for sewing, weaving, or making cloth.
Putri chose a blue thread to stitch the torn pocket on her jeans.
colour + thread for mending clothes
The tailor ran out of black thread halfway through mending the jacket.
Nila wound the loose thread around her finger before cutting it with scissors.
The embroidery on the dress uses gold thread to highlight the flowers.
A spool of white thread sat on the table next to the sewing machine.
文法句型
[countable/uncountable] a length of thread
2. a very narrow and elongated visible band — such as a beam of sunlight, a wisp of
a very narrow and elongated visible band — such as a beam of sunlight, a wisp of smoke, or a trickle of liquid — that you can see stretching through the air or across a surface.
A thin thread of smoke rose from the chimney above the empty house.
thread of [substance] for a thin stream
Selim watched the golden thread of light creep across the floor as the sun set.
A faint thread of light appeared under the door when the lamp was switched on.
The hikers followed a thin blue thread of water that ran through the valley.
A thread of cold sweat ran down the side of her neck during the interview.
文法句型
a thread of [substance]
3. the connected series of thoughts, ideas, or events that gives a story, speech, o
the connected series of thoughts, ideas, or events that gives a story, speech, or conversation its overall meaning and direction.
Obi lost the thread of the lecture after his phone buzzed loudly.
lose the thread of [speech/conversation]
A single question about justice ran like a thread through all his novels.
The common thread in all her paintings is a sense of loneliness.
Romi tried to pick up the thread of the discussion after the coffee break.
The audience struggled to follow the thread of the plot in the second half.
- train of thought
more specific to thinking; suggests a mental sequence that can be interrupted
- storyline
used specifically for plots of books, films, or plays
- gist
the general meaning or main point; less about sequence and more about overall idea
文法句型
the thread of [something]
用法筆記
Often used in the fixed phrase 'lose the thread' meaning to stop being able to follow a sequence of ideas. Also common in 'pick up the thread' meaning to resume after an interruption.
4. a group of linked posts, emails, or text messages that all follow the same subje
a group of linked posts, emails, or text messages that all follow the same subject and appear one after another on a website, forum, or messaging platform.
Niran posted a question in the forum thread about fixing bicycle gears.
forum thread for online discussion
The thread had over two hundred replies by lunchtime.
Yan scrolled through the entire Reddit thread before posting her own reply.
Greta started a thread asking for recommendations on hiking trails in Taiwan.
Anthony reported the thread to the moderator because several comments were rude.
- discussion
general term; 'thread' specifically refers to the linear, connected format on a platform
- conversation stream
more common in instant-messaging apps; implies a live, ongoing exchange
文法句型
[forum / comment / message] thread
用法筆記
Common on social media platforms, forums, and email clients. The verb form 'to thread' (verb/6) describes the action of organizing messages this way.
5. a helical ridge circling a cylindrical fastener, or cut into the inner surface o
a helical ridge circling a cylindrical fastener, or cut into the inner surface of a matching ring, that allows the two pieces to be screwed together tightly.
The thread of the screw was worn down, so it would not stay in place.
Amani checked that the nut's thread matched the bolt before tightening them.
matched thread for compatibility
If you cross the thread when tightening the bolt, you may damage it.
Sahil used a thread gauge to measure the spacing between the ridges.
A drop of oil on the screw thread helped it turn more smoothly.
文法句型
[screw / bolt / nut] thread
用法筆記
Frequently appears in technical contexts such as DIY, mechanics, and engineering. The verb 'to thread' can also mean to cut a thread into a surface (e.g. 'thread a pipe').
6. items of clothing, especially when considered as a complete outfit.
items of clothing, especially when considered as a complete outfit.
Tariro showed up at the party wearing his finest threads.
informal plural: threads = clothes
Heloísa packed her best threads for the holiday weekend.
Pedro wore his new threads to the school dance.
Bao grabbed some clean threads from the pile on the chair.
The shop near the station sells trendy threads at low prices.
文法句型
[possessive] + threads
用法筆記
Always used in the plural form 'threads'. Strongly informal — common in casual speech and pop culture, but not appropriate in formal writing. Originates from African American Vernacular English and later adopted into mainstream slang.
thread — verb
- threadpresent simple I / you / we / they
- threads3rd person singular
- threading-ing form
- threadedpast simple
1. to pass a thin flexible object — such as string, film, ribbon, or wire — through
to pass a thin flexible object — such as string, film, ribbon, or wire — through a narrow opening or into the correct position inside something.
Tuan carefully threaded the ribbon through the loops of the curtain.
thread [object] through [opening]
Mark threaded the film into the projector before the screening.
The technician threaded the cable behind the wall to hide it from view.
Takeshi threaded the rope through the pulley and pulled it tight.
Yasmin threaded the shoelace through the final eyelet and tied a bow.
文法句型
thread + object + through/into + opening
用法筆記
The direct object is always the item being passed (the ribbon, film, string), not the opening. To say 'thread a needle' means to pass thread through the needle's eye.
常見錯誤
2. to push a string or thin wire through the hole in each of a series of small obje
to push a string or thin wire through the hole in each of a series of small objects — such as beads, shells, or pearls — so that they form a connected line.
Lauren sat on the floor threading colourful beads onto a piece of string.
thread [beads] onto [string]
Aaron threaded the shells onto a thin wire to make a necklace.
Ishaan threaded dried flowers onto a string to make a hanging decoration.
The children threaded popcorn onto thread for their Christmas tree.
Imani threaded small wooden beads onto a leather cord as a gift.
文法句型
thread + object + onto + string/wire
用法筆記
The finished object is often a necklace, bracelet, or decorative garland. The preposition 'onto' is most common, though 'on' is used informally.
3. to move forward through a crowded or narrow space by turning and changing direct
to move forward through a crowded or narrow space by turning and changing direction as you go, avoiding obstacles or people in your path.
Layla threaded through the crowded market carrying two bags of fruit.
thread through [crowded space]
The waiter threaded his way between the tables with a tray of drinks.
The cyclist threaded between the parked cars and the moving traffic.
Chiara threaded her way through the library aisles to find the history section.
Rodrigo threaded along the narrow path that ran beside the cliff edge.
文法句型
thread + through/between/along + [space]
用法筆記
Often used with a reflexive possessive: 'thread one's way'. The construction 'thread through' is the most common. The subject is usually a person, vehicle, or animal moving through obstacles.
4. in rugby, American football, or similar sports, to throw or kick the ball accura
in rugby, American football, or similar sports, to throw or kick the ball accurately between opposing players to reach a teammate.
Rin threaded the ball through the defence to the striker.
thread the ball through [opponents] — sports
From midfield, Kasia threaded a perfect pass to the winger.
The quarterback threaded the ball between two defenders for a touchdown.
Sirin threaded a clever pass through the gap and scored the winning try.
Anya threaded the ball to the fullback just before being tackled.
文法句型
thread + the ball + through + [opponents]
用法筆記
Primarily used in rugby and American football, though it appears in other team sports such as soccer and basketball when describing a pass that travels through a narrow gap between defenders.
5. to remove unwanted hair from a person's face or body by twisting a cotton thread
to remove unwanted hair from a person's face or body by twisting a cotton thread and rolling it over the skin so that it traps and pulls out hairs at the root.
Paloma went to the salon to have her eyebrows threaded.
have [body part] threaded for hair removal — beauty
Léa watched as the beautician threaded the fine hairs from her upper lip.
Brian had his upper lip threaded at the beauty counter in the mall.
Samir learned to thread his own eyebrows by watching tutorial videos.
The beautician threaded the client's chin hairs with quick movements.
文法句型
thread + [body part]
have + [body part] + threaded
用法筆記
A technique with roots in South Asian and Middle Eastern beauty traditions. The person performing the service is called a 'threader'. The noun form 'threading' describes the technique itself.
6. to organize a set of connected emails, text messages, or online posts so that th
to organize a set of connected emails, text messages, or online posts so that they are grouped together in a sequence based on the same topic or original message.
The app automatically threads emails with the same subject line.
thread emails/messages for grouping
Jason prefers to read threaded conversations rather than separate messages.
Most modern email programmes give you the option to thread related messages.
Eitan prefers a flat view rather than threaded conversations in his chat app.
Nia turned on threaded mode so she could follow each topic separately.
文法句型
thread + [emails / messages / posts]
用法筆記
Very common in modern email clients (Gmail, Outlook) and messaging apps (Slack, Discord). The past participle 'threaded' is often used as an adjective: 'threaded view', 'threaded conversation'.