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5 VERB If you struggle to move yourself or to move a heavy object, you try to do it, but it is difficult. □ [V to-inf] I could see the young boy struggling to free himself. □ [V prep] I struggled with my bags, desperately looking for a porter.

6 VERB [only cont] If a person or organization is struggling , they are likely to fail in what they are doing, even though they might be trying very hard. □ [V to-inf] The company is struggling to find buyers for its new product. □ [V prep] One in five young adults was struggling with everyday mathematics. □ [V ] By the 1960s, many shipyards were struggling.

7 N‑SING An action or activity that is a struggle is very difficult to do. □  Losing weight was a terrible struggle.

▸  struggle on PHRASAL VERB If you struggle on , you continue doing something rather than stopping, even though it is difficult. □ [V P ] Why should I struggle on to please my parents? □ [V P + with ] The rest of the world struggles on with its perpetual problems, poverty and debt. SYNONYMS struggle VERB 1

strive:He strives hard to keep himself very fit.

strain:I had to strain to hear.

battle:He was battling against the wind and rain.

endeavour:They are endeavouring to protect trade union rights. NOUN 2

effort:With an effort she contained her irritation.

battle:…the eternal battle between good and evil in the world.

strain:I sometimes find it a strain to be responsible for the mortgage.

strum /strʌ m/ (strums , strumming , strummed ) VERB If you strum a stringed instrument such as a guitar, you play it by moving your fingers backwards and forwards across the strings. □ [V n] In the corner, one youth sat alone, softly strumming a guitar. □ [V prep/adv] Vaska strummed away on his guitar. ● N‑SING Strum is also a noun. □ [+ of ] A little while later, I heard the strum of my father's guitar as he began to sing.

strung /strʌ ŋ/ Strung is the past tense and past participle of string .

stru ng ou t

1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If things are strung out somewhere, they are spread out in a line. □  Buildings were strung out on the north side of the river.

2 ADJ [v-link ADJ ] If someone is strung out on drugs, they are heavily affected by drugs. [INFORMAL ] □ [+ on ] He was permanently strung out on heroin.

strut /strʌ t/ (struts , strutting , strutted )

1 VERB Someone who struts walks in a proud way, with their head held high and their chest out, as if they are very important. [DISAPPROVAL ] □ [V prep/adv] He struts around town like he owns the place.

2 N‑COUNT A strut is a piece of wood or metal which holds the weight of other pieces in a building or other structure. □  …the struts of a suspension bridge.

strych|nine /str I kniːn, [AM ] -na I n/ N‑UNCOUNT Strychnine is a very poisonous drug which is sometimes used in very small amounts as a medicine.

stub /stʌ b/ (stubs , stubbing , stubbed )

1 N‑COUNT The stub of a cigarette or a pencil is the last short piece of it which remains when the rest has been used. □ [+ of ] He pulled the stub of a pencil from behind his ear. □  …an ashtray of cigarette stubs.

2 N‑COUNT [usu n N ] A ticket stub is the part that you keep when you go in to watch a performance. □  She keeps all her gig ticket stubs at home in a frame.

3 N‑COUNT [usu n N ] A cheque stub is the small part that you keep as a record of what you have paid.

4 VERB If you stub your toe , you hurt it by accidentally kicking something. □ [V n] I stubbed my toes against a table leg.