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3 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A string of places or objects is a number of them that form a line. □ [+ of ] The landscape is broken only by a string of villages. □ [+ of ] A string of five rowing boats set out from the opposite bank.

4 N‑COUNT [usu sing] A string of similar events is a series of them that happen one after the other. □ [+ of ] The incident was the latest in a string of attacks.

5 N‑COUNT The strings on a musical instrument such as a violin or guitar are the thin pieces of wire or nylon stretched across it that make sounds when the instrument is played. □  He went off to change a guitar string. □  …a twenty-one-string harp.

6 N‑PLURAL [oft N n] The strings are the section of an orchestra which consists of stringed instruments played with a bow. □  The strings provided a melodic background to the passages played by the soloist. □  There was a 20-member string section.

7 N‑COUNT In computing, a string is a particular series of letters, numbers, symbols, or spaces, for example a word or phrase that you want to search for in a document.

8 VERB If you string something somewhere, you hang it up between two or more objects. □ [V n prep/adv] He had strung a banner across the wall. ● PHRASAL VERB String up means the same as string . □ [V P n] People were stringing up decorations on the fronts of their homes. [Also V n P ]

9 → see also highly strung , purse strings , second string , strung out

10 PHRASE If something is offered to you with no strings attached or with no strings , it is offered without any special conditions. □  Aid should be given to developing countries with no strings attached. □  …no-strings grants that last for five years.

11 PHRASE If you pull strings , you use your influence with other people in order to get something done, often unfairly.

▸  string along PHRASAL VERB If you string someone along , you deceive them by letting them believe you have the same desires, beliefs, or hopes as them. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P ] The longer you string him along, the more hurt he will be when you dump him.

▸  string together PHRASAL VERB If you string things together , you form something from them by adding them to each other, one at a time. □ [V n P ] As speech develops, the child starts to string more words together. □ [V P n] The speaker strung together a series of jokes.

▸  string up PHRASAL VERB To string someone up means to kill them by hanging them. [INFORMAL ] □ [V n P ] Guards rushed into his cell and strung him up. [Also V P n]

stri ng bea n (string beans )

1 N‑COUNT [usu pl] String beans are long, very narrow green vegetables consisting of the cases that contain the seeds of a climbing plant. [AM ] in BRIT, use French beans 2 N‑COUNT [usu pl] String beans are vegetables similar to French beans, but thicker. [BRIT ]

stri nged i n|stru|ment (stringed instruments ) N‑COUNT A stringed instrument is a musical instrument that has strings, such as a violin or a guitar.

strin|gent /str I ndʒ ^ə nt/ ADJ Stringent laws, rules, or conditions are very severe or are strictly controlled. [FORMAL ] □  He announced that there would be more stringent controls on the possession of weapons. □  Its drug-testing procedures are the most stringent in the world. ●  strin|gent|ly ADV [ADV with v] □  He is determined to see the Act enforced more stringently. Stringent financial conditions are difficult and strictly controlled because there is not much money. [FORMAL ] □  More stringent financial regulations were approved and introduced in September. ●  strin|gen|cy N‑UNCOUNT □  …times of financial stringency