A- (3) prefix meaning "not," from Gk a-, an- "not," from pie base *ne "not" (see un-)

street --- O.E. stret (Mercian), stræt (W.Saxon), early W.Gmc. borrowing from L.L. strata, used elliptically for via strata "paved road," from fem. pp. of L. sternere "lay down, spread out, pave," from PIE *stre-to- "to stretch, extend," from base *stere- "to spread, extend, stretch out" (see structure). The Latin is also the source of Sp. estrada, O.Fr. estrée, It. strada. Originally of Roman roads (Watling Street, Icknield Street, etc.), later in O.E. it acquired a dialectal sense of "straggling village." "In the Middle Ages, a road or way was merely a direction in which people rode or went, the name street being reserved for the made road." [Weekley] Used since c.1400 to mean "the people in the street;" modern sense of "the realm of the people as the source of political support" dates from 1931. Man in the street "ordinary person, non-expert" is attested from 1831. Street-car is attested from 1862. Street-walker "common prostitute" first recorded 1592. Street people is from 1967; street smarts is from 1972; street-credibility is from 1979.

streetwise --- 1965, from street + wise (adj.) "smart, savvy."

strength --- O.E. strengþu "power, force, vigor, moral resistance," from P.Gmc. *strangitho (cf. O.H.G. strengida "strength"), in gradational relationship to the root of strong. Verb strengthen is recorded from c.1300.

strenuous --- characterized by great effort, 1599, from L. strenuus "active, vigorous, keen." Probably cognate with Gk. strenes, strenos "keen, strong," strenos "arrogance, eager desire," O.E. stierne "hard, severe, keen" (see stern (adj.)). Mocked by Ben Jonson as a pedantic neologism in "Poetaster" (1601). Sense of "requiring much energy" is first recorded 1671.

strep --- 1927, in strep throat, short for streptococcus.

Strephon --- lover, from name of shepherd lover in Sidney's "Arcadia" (begun 1580).

streptococcus --- bacteria genus, 1877, Mod.L., coined by Viennese surgeon Albert Theodor Billroth (1829-94) from Gk. streptos "twisted" + Mod.L. coccus "spherical bacterium," from Gk. kokkos "berry." So called because the bacteria usually form chains.

streptomycin --- antibiotic drug, 1944, from Mod.L. Streptomyces, genus name of the soil bacterium from which the antibiotic was obtained, from Gk. streptos "twisted" + mykes "fungus." First isolated by U.S. microbiologist Selman Abraham Waksman (1888-1973).

stress (n.) --- c.1303, "hardship, adversity, force, pressure," in part a shortening of M.Fr. destresse (see distress), in part from O.Fr. estrece "narrowness, oppression," from V.L. *strictia, from L. strictus "compressed," pp. of stringere "draw tight" (see strain (v.)). The purely psychological sense is attested from 1942.

stress (v.) --- c.1303, "to subject (someone) to force or compulsion," from the source of stress (n.). The fig. meaning "put emphasis on" is first recorded 1896, from notion of laying pressure on something by relying on it.

stretch (n.) --- 1541, "act of stretching," from stretch (v.); meaning "unbroken continuance of some activity" is first recorded 1689; meaning "straightaway of a race course" (e.g. home stretch) is recorded from 1841.

stretch (v.) --- O.E. streccan, from P.Gmc. *strakjanan (cf. Dan. strække, Swed. sträcka, O.Fris. strekka, O.H.G. strecchan, M.L.G., M.Du., O.H.G., Ger. strecken "to stretch"), perhaps a variant of the root of stark, or else from PIE base *strenk- "tight, narrow; pull tight, twist" (see strain). Meaning "to extend (the limbs or wings)" is from c.1205; that of "to lay out for burial" is from c.1225. To stretch one's legs "take a walk" is from 1607. Meaning "to lengthen by force" first recorded 1398; fig. sense of "to enlarge beyond proper limits, exaggerate," is from 1553. Stretch limo first attested 1973. Stretch marks is attested from 1960. Stretcher "canvas frame for carrying the sick or wounded" is first attested 1845.

strew --- O.E. streowian, from P.Gmc. *straujanan (cf. O.S. stroian, O.N. stra, Dan. strø, Swed. strö, M.Du. strowen, Du. strooien, O.H.G. strouwen, Ger. streuen, Goth. straujan "to sprinkle, strew"), from PIE base *stere- "to spread, extend, stretch out" (see structure).

striation --- 1849, from Mod.L. stria "strip, streak," in classical L. "furrow, channel, flute of a column;" cognate with Du. striem, O.H.G. strimo, Ger. strieme "stripe, streak," from PIE base *streig- (see strigil).

stricken --- 1513, "wounded, affected (by disease, trouble, etc.)," adjective use of archaic pp. of strike (v.). Fig. meaning "overwhelmed with terror, grief, etc." is from 1533. An earlier development is reflected in 13c. phrase striken in elde "advanced in years," from strike in the sense of "to move, go," hence "far advanced."

strict --- 1592, "narrow, drawn in, small," from L. strictus "drawn together, tight, rigid," pp. of stringere "draw or bind tight" (see strain (v.)). The sense of "stringent and rigorous" (of law) is first found in 1578; of qualities or conditions generally, 1588.

stricture --- c.1400, "abnormal narrowing in a body part," from L.L. strictura "contraction, constriction," from pp. stem of stringere (2) "to bind or draw tight" (see strain (v.)). Sense of "criticism, critical remark" is first recorded 1655, perhaps from the other L. word stringere "to touch lightly" (see strigil).

stride --- O.E. stridan "to straddle," from P.Gmc. *stridanan (cf. M.L.G. strede "stride," Du. strijd, O.H.G. strit, Ger. Streit "fight, contention, combat," O.N. striðr "strong, hard, stubborn, severe"), from base *strid- "to strive, make a strong effort." Meaning "to walk with long or extended steps" is from c.1200. Cognate words in most Gmc. languages mean "to fight, struggle;" the notion behind the Eng. usage might be the effort involved in making long strides, striving forward. The noun was in O.E.; fig. meaning of make strides "make progress" is from 1600. To take (something) in stride (1832), i.e. "without change of gait" is originally of horses leaping hedges in the hunting-field; fig. sense attested from 1902. Jazz music stride tempo is attested from 1938.

strident --- 1656, from Fr. strident, from L. stridentem (nom. stridens), prp. of stridere "utter an inarticulate sound, grate, screech," possibly of imitative origin.

stridulous --- 1611, from L. stridulus "giving a shrill sound, creaking," from stridere "to utter an inarticulate sound, grate, creak" (see strident). Stridulation is first recorded 1838.

strife --- c.1225, from O.Fr. estrif, variant of estrit "quarrel, dispute, impetuosity," probably from Frank. *strid, from P.Gmc. *strido- "strife, combat" (cf. O.H.G. strit "quarrel, dispute"), related to O.H.G. stritan "to fight;" see stride.

strigil --- ancient tool for scraping the skin after a bath, 1581, from L. strigilis "horse-comb," from stringere (1) "draw along a surface, graze, wound, strip off, rub," from PIE base *streig- (cf. L. striga "stroke, strike, furrow," stria "furrow, channel;" O.C.S. striga "shear;" O.E. stracian "to stroke;" Ger. streichen "to stroke, rub"). Etymologists dispute over whether this is connected to L. stringere (2), root of strain (v.).

strike (n.) --- concentrated cessation of work by a body of employees, 1810, from verb meaning "refuse to work to force an employer to meet demands" (1768), from strike (v.). Perhaps from notion of striking or "downing" one's tools, or from sailors' practice of striking (lowering) a ship's sails as a symbol of refusal to go to sea (1768), which preserves the verb's original sense of "make level, smooth." Baseball sense is first recorded 1841; bowling sense attested from 1859. Meaning "sudden military attack" is attested from 1942.

strike (v.) --- O.E. strican "pass over lightly, stroke, smooth, rub," also "go, proceed" (past tense strac, pp. stricen), from P.Gmc. *strik- (cf. O.N. strykva "to stroke," O.Fris. strika, M.Du. streken, Du. strikjen "to smooth, stroke, rub," O.H.G. strihhan, Ger. streichen), from PIE base *str(e)ig- "to stroke, rub, press" (see strigil). Related to streak and stroke, and perhaps influenced in sense development by cognate O.N. striuka. Sense of "to deal a blow" developed by 1325; meaning "to collide" is from c.1340; that of "to hit with a missile" is from 1377. Meaning "to cancel or expunge" (as with the stroke of a pen) is attested from c.1386. An older sense is preserved in strike for "go toward."

striking --- producing a vivid impression, 1752, from strike (v.) in the sense of "to catch the fancy of" (1599).

string (n.) --- O.E. streng "line, cord, thread," from P.Gmc. *strangiz (cf. O.N. strengr, Dan. streng, M.Du. strenge, Du. streng, O.H.G. strang, Ger. Strang "rope, cord"), from base *strang- "taut, stiff," from PIE base *strenk- "tight, narrow; pull tight, twist" (see strain). Gradually restricted by early M.E. to lines that are smaller than a rope. Sense of "a number of objects arranged in a line" first recorded 1488. O.E. meaning "ligaments, tendons" is preserved in hamstring, heartstrings. Meaning "limitations, stipulations" (1888) is Amer.Eng., probably from the common April Fool's joke of leaving a purse that looks full of money on the sidewalk, then tugging it away with an attached string when someone stoops to pick it up. To pull strings "control the course of affairs" (1860) is from the notion of puppet theater. First string, second string, etc. in athletics (1863) is from archers' custom of carrying spare bowstrings in the event that one breaks. Strings "stringed instruments" is attested from c.1340. String bean is from 1759; string bikini is from 1974.

string (v.) --- c.1400, "to fit a bow with a string," from string (n.). Meaning "to thread (beads, etc.) on a string" is from 1612. To string (someone) along is slang from 1902; string (v.) in this sense is attested in British dialect from c.1812. Stringer "newspaper correspondent paid by length of copy" is attested from 1952, probably from earlier fig. sense of "one who strings words together" (1774).

stringent --- 1605, "astringent," especially with reference to taste, from L. stringentem (nom. stringens), prp. of stringere "to compress, contract, bind or draw tight" (see strain). Of regulations, procedures, etc., 1846.

strip (n.) --- long, narrow, flat piece, 1459, "narrow piece of cloth," probably from M.L.G. strippe "strap, thong," related to stripe (see stripe (1)). Sense extension to wood, land, etc. first recorded 1638. Sense in comic strip is from 1920. Meaning "street noted for clubs, bars, etc." is attested from 1939, originally in ref. to Los Angeles' Sunset Strip. Strip mine is attested from 1934, so called because the surface material is removed in successive parallel strips.

strip (v.) --- make bare, O.E. -striepan, -strypan "plunder, despoil," as in W.Saxon bestrypan "to plunder," from P.Gmc. *straupijanan (cf. M.Du. stropen "to strip off, to ramble about plundering," O.H.G. stroufen "to strip off, plunder," Ger. streifen "strip off, touch upon, to ramble, roam, rove"). Meaning "to unclothe" is recorded from c.1225. Of screw threads, from 1839; of gear wheels, from 1873. Strip poker is attested from 1929; strip search is from 1947.

stripe (1) --- a line or band in cloth, 1626 (but probably much older), from M.Du. or M.L.G. stripe "stripe, streak," from P.Gmc. *stripanan (cf. Dan. stribe "a striped fabric," Ger. Streifen "stripe"), cognate with O.Ir. sriab "stripe," from PIE base *streig- (see strigil). Of soldiers' chevrons, badges, etc., attested from 1827.

stripe (2) --- a stroke or lash, 1440, probably a special use of stripe (1), from the marks left by a lash. Cf. also Du. strippen "to whip," W.Fris. strips, apparently cognate but not attested as early as the Eng. word.

stripling --- a youth, 1398, possibly from strip (n.) "long, narrow piece," on the notion of "one who is slender as a strip, whose figure is not yet filled out."

stripper --- strip-tease dancer is from 1930, from strip (v.). Strip-tease itself is first recorded 1936, though strip and tease were both used in this sense in late 1920s.

strive --- c.1205 (implied in striving), from O.Fr. estriver "to quarrel, dispute," from estrif, estrit "quarrel" (see strife). It became a strong verb (past tense strove) by rhyming association with drive, etc.

strobe --- 1942, shortening of stroboscope "instrument for studying motion by periodically interrupted light" (1896), from Gk. strobos "act of whirling" + -scope, from Gk. skopein "to look at, examine."

Stroganoff --- name of a beef dish cooked in sauce containing sour cream, 1932, from Fr., from name of 19c. Rus. diplomat Count Paul Stroganov.

stroke (n.) --- act of striking, c.1297, probably from O.E. *strac, from P.Gmc. *straikaz (cf. M.L.G. strek, Ger. streich, Goth. striks "stroke"), related to the verb stracian (see stroke (v.)). The meaning "mark of a pen" is from 1567; that of "a striking of a clock" is from 1436. Sense of "feat, achievement" (e.g. stroke of luck, 1853) first found 1672; the meaning "single pull of an oar or single movement of machinery" is from 1731. Meaning "apoplectic seizure" is from 1599 (originally the Stroke of God's Hand). Swimming sense is from 1800.

stroke (v.) --- pass the hand gently over, O.E. stracian, related to strican "pass over lightly," from P.Gmc. *straikojanan, which is related to the root of strike, from PIE base *streig- (see strigil). Fig. sense of "soothe, flatter" is recorded from 1513. The noun meaning "a stroking movement of the hand" is recorded from 1631.

stroll (v.) --- 1603, a cant word introduced from the Continent, probably from dialectal Ger. strollen, variant of Ger. strolchen "to stroll, loaf," from strolch "vagabond, vagrant," also "fortuneteller," perhaps from It. astrologo "astrologer." The noun is 1814, from the verb. Stroller "child's push-chair" is recorded from 1920.

strong (adj.) --- O.E. strang "physically powerful, powerful in effect, forceful, severe," from P.Gmc. *strangaz (cf. O.N. strangr "strong," Du. streng "strict, rigorous," O.H.G. strang "strong, bold, hard," Ger. streng "strict, rigorous"). Originally compared strenger, strengest (cf. old/elder/eldest). Grammatical sense, of noun and verb inflections, is first attested 1841, translating Ger. stark, used in a grammatical sense by J. Grimm (the terms strong and weak better fit Ger. inflections). Strong suit (1865) is from card-playing. Strong man "man of great strength" (especially one who displays it professionally) is recorded from 1699; meaning "dominating man in a political organization" is from 1859.

strong (adv.) --- O.E. strange (alongside strongly), from the same source as strong (adj.). Going strong (1898) is from racing. To come on strong was originally come it strong (1812).

strong-arm (adj.) --- using physical force, 1897, from noun phrase (1606), from strong (adj.) + arm (n.).

stronghold --- c.1425, from strong (adj.) + hold (n.) "fortified place, refuge."

strontium --- light metallic element, 1808, coined in Mod.L. by Eng. chemist Sir Humphry Davy (1778-1829) from Strontian, name of a parish in Argyllshire, Scotland, the site of lead mines where strontium was first found.

strop --- 1357, "loop or strap on a harness," probably from O.Fr. estrop (see strap). Specific sense of "leather strap used for sharpening razors" first recorded 1702. The verb in this sense is from 1841. Distribution of senses between strap and strop is arbitrary.

strophe --- 1603, from Gk. strophe "stanza," originally "a turning," in reference to the section of an ode sung by the chorus while turning in one direction, from strephein "to turn," from PIE *strebh- "to wind, turn" (cf. Gk. strophaligs "whirl, whirlwind," streblos "twisted").

structure --- c.1440, "action or process of building or construction," from L. structura "a fitting together, adjustment, building," from structus, pp. of struere "to pile, build, assemble," related to strues "heap," from PIE *stere- "to spread, extend, stretch out" (cf. Skt. strnoti "strews, throws down;" Avestan star- "to spread out, stretch out;" Gk. stornymi "strew," stroma "bedding, mattress," sternon "breast, breastbone;" L. sternere "to stretch, extend;" O.C.S. stira, streti "spread," strama "district;" Rus. stroji "order;" Goth. straujan, O.H.G. strouwen, O.E. streowian "to sprinkle, strew;" O.E. streon "strain," streaw "straw, that which is scattered;" O.H.G. stirna "forehead," strala "arrow, lightning bolt;" O.Ir. fo-sernaim "spread out," srath "a wide river valley;" Welsh srat "plain"). Meaning "that which is constructed, a building or edifice" is from 1615. Structured "organized so as to produce results" is from 1959.

strudel --- kind of Austrian pastry, 1893, from Ger. Strudel, lit. "eddy, whirlpool," from O.H.G. stredan "to bubble, boil, whirl, eddy," from PIE base *ser- "to flow" (see serum).

struggle (v.) --- c.1386, probably a frequentative form, of uncertain origin. Skeat suggests O.N. strugr "ill will;" others suggest a connection to Du. struikelen, Ger. straucheln "to stumble." The noun is first recorded 1692.

strum --- 1775, possibly imitative of the sound of running the fingers across the strings of a musical instrument.

strumpet --- c.1327, of uncertain origin. One theory connects it with L. stuprata, fem. pp. of stuprare "have illicit sexual relations with," or L.L. strupum "dishonor, violation." Others suggest M.Du. strompe "a stocking," or strompen "to stride, to stalk" (as a prostitute might a customer). The major sources don't seem to give much preference to any of these. Weekley notes "Gregory's Chronicle (c.1450) has streppett in same sense." In 18c.-early 19c., often abbreviated as strum and also used as a v., which led to some odd dictionary entries:

strung --- past tense of string (v.). In ref. to nerves, feelings, etc., from 1840; e.g. high-strung (1899 in the fig. sense, originally a musical term, with ref. to stringed instruments, attested from 1748). Slang strung out "addicted" is recorded from 1950s.

strut (n.) --- supporting brace, 1587, perhaps from strut (v.), or a cognate word in O.N. or Low Ger. (cf. Low Ger. strutt "rigid"); ultimately from P.Gmc. *strutoz-, from root *strut- (see strut (v.)).

strut (v.) --- walk in a vain, important manner, O.E. strutian "to stand out stiffly," from P.Gmc. *strut- (cf. Dan. strutte, Ger. strotzen "to be puffed up, be swelled," Ger. Strauß "fight"), from PIE base *ster- "strong, firm, stiff, rigid" (see sterile). Originally of the air or the attitude; modern sense, focused on the walk, first recorded 1518. Cognate with O.E. ðrutung "anger, arrogance" (see throat). To strut (one's) stuff is black slang, first recorded 1926, from strut as the name of a dance popular from c.1900.

struthious --- of the ostrich, 1773, from L. struthio "ostrich," from Gk. strouthion (see ostrich).

Struwwelpeter --- from Ger., name of a character in the childtren's book of the same name by Heinrich Hoffman (1809-94).

strychnine --- 1819, from Fr. strychnine, from Mod.L. Strychnos, the genus name of the plant (nux vomica) from which the poison is obtained, from Gk. strychnon, a kind of nightshade, of uncertain origin.

Stuart --- name of the British royal family from 1603-68 (see steward); attested from 1873 as an attribution for styles from that period.

stub (n.) --- O.E. stybb "stump of a tree," from P.Gmc. *stubjaz (cf. M.Du. stubbe, O.N. stubbr), from PIE base *(s)teu- (see steep (adj.)). Extended in M.E. to other short, thick things. The verb sense of "strike (one's toe) against" something is first recorded 1848. Meaning "to extinguish a cigarette" is from 1927. Stubby "short and thick" is from 1572; of persons, from 1831.

stubble --- 1297, "stumps of grain stalks left in the ground after reaping," from O.Fr. estuble "stubble" (Fr. éteule), from L. stupla, reduced form of stipula "stalk, straw;" related to stipes "trunk, stick." Applied from 1596 to bristles on a man's unshaven face.

stubborn --- c.1386, of uncertain origin. Earliest form is stiborn. OED doubts any connection with stub (n.).

stucco --- 1598, from It. stucco, from a Gmc. source (cf. O.H.G. stukki "crust, piece, fragment;" see stock (n.1)). The verb is attested from 1726.

stuck --- unable to go any further, 1885, from pp. of stick (v.). Colloq. stuck-up "assuming an unjustified air of superiority" is recorded from 1829.

stud (1) --- nailhead, knob, O.E. studu "pillar, prop, post," from P.Gmc. *stud- (cf. O.N. stoð "staff, stick," prop. "stay," M.H.G. stud, O.E. stow "place"), from PIE *stu-, variant of base *sta- "to stand" (see stet). Sense expanded by 1397 to include ornamental devices fixed in and projecting from a surface. The verb is 1505 in the literal sense of "set with studs," 1570 in studded with "as though sprinkled with nails with conspicuous heads."

stud (2) --- horse used for breeding, O.E. stod "herd of horses, place where horses are kept for breeding," from P.Gmc. *stodo (cf. O.N. stoð, M.L.G. stod, O.H.G. stuot "herd of horses," Ger. Stute "mare"), from PIE base *sta- "to stand" (cf. O.C.S. stado "herd," Lith. stodas "a drove of horses;" see stet). Sense of "male horse kept for breeding" is first recorded 1803; meaning "man who is highly active and proficient sexually" is attested from 1895; that of "any young man" is from 1929.

student --- 1398, from O.Fr. estudient "one who is studying," from M.L. studiare "to study," from L. studium (see study). Student-teacher is attested from 1907.

studio --- 1819, "work-room of a sculptor or painter," from It. studio "room for study," from L. studium (see study). Motion picture sense first recorded 1911; radio broadcasting sense 1922; television sense 1938. Studio apartment first recorded 1903.

study (v.) --- c.1125, from O.Fr. estudier "to study" (Fr. étude), from M.L. studiare, from L. studium "study, application," originally "eagerness," from studere "to be diligent" ("to be pressing forward"), from PIE *(s)teu- "to push, stick, knock, beat" (see steep (adj.)). The noun meaning "application of the mind to the acquisition of knowledge" is recorded from c.1300. Sense of "room furnished with books" is from 1303. Study hall is attested from 1891, originally a large common room in a college. Studious is attested from c.1382.

stuff (n.) --- c.1330, "quilted material worn under chain mail," from O.Fr. estoffe "quilted material, furniture, provisions" (Fr. étoffe), from estoffer "to equip or stock," probably from O.H.G. stopfon "to plug, stuff," or from a related Frankish word (see stop). Sense extended to material for working with in various trades (1406), then (1580) "matter of an unspecified kind." Meaning "narcotic, dope, drug" is attested from 1929. To know (one's) stuff "have a grasp on a subject" is recorded from 1927. stuffy "poorly ventilated" is from 1831; sense of "pompous, smug" is from 1895.

stuff (v.) --- 1440, "to cram full," from stuff (n.); earlier "to furnish a fort or army with men and stores" (c.1300). The ballot-box sense is attested from 1854, Amer.Eng.; in expressions of contempt and suggestive of bodily orifices, it dates from 1952. Stuffing "seasoned mixture used to stuff fowls before cooking" is from 1538. Stuffed in ref. to garments, "padded with stuffing" is from 1467; hence stuffed shirt "pompous, ineffectual person" (1913).

Stuka --- Ger. dive bomber of World War II, 1940, from Ger. shortening of Sturzkampfflugzeug, from sturz "fall" + kampf "battle" + flugzeug "aircraft."

stultify --- 1766, "allege to be of unsound mind" (legal term), from L.L. stultificare "turn into foolishness," from L. stultus "foolish" + root of facere "to make" (see factitious). The first element is cognate with L. stolidus "slow, dull, obtuse" (see stolid). Meaning "cause to appear foolish or absurd" is from 1809.

stumble (v.) --- c.1303, "to trip or miss one's footing" (physically or morally), probably from a Scand. source (cf. dialectal Norw. stumla, Swed. stambla "to stumble"), probably from a variant of the P.Gmc. base *stam-, source of O.E. stamerian "to stammer," Ger. stumm "dumb, silent." Possibly influenced in form by stumpen "to stumble," but the -b- may be purely euphonious. Meaning "to come (upon) by chance" is attested from 1555. Stumbling-block first recorded 1526, used in Rom. xiv.13 to transl. Gk. skandalon. Stumblebum "alcoholic derelict" first recorded 1932.