thread

American  

[thred] / θrɛd /

noun

threads plural

1. a fine cord of flax, cotton, or other fibrous material spun out to considerable length, especially when composed of two or more filaments twisted together.

2. twisted filaments or fibers of any kind used for sewing.

3. one of the lengths of yarn forming the warp or weft of a woven fabric.

4. a filament or fiber of glass or other ductile substance.

5. Ropemaking.

   1. any of a number of fibers twisted into a yarn.

   2. a yarn, especially as enumerated in describing small stuff.

6. something having the fineness or slenderness of a filament, as a thin continuous stream of liquid, a fine line of color, or a thin seam of ore.

   a thread of smoke.

7. the helical ridge of a screw.

8. that which runs through the whole course of something, connecting successive parts.

   I lost the thread of the story.

9. something conceived as being spun or continuously drawn out, as the course of life fabled to be spun, measured, and cut by the Fates.

10. Digital Technology. a series of posts and responses on a message board or electronic mailing list that deal with the same subject and are grouped together.

11. Slang. threads, clothes.

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verb (used with object)

threads, present (3rd person singular) threaded, past participle, past threading present participle

1. to pass the end of a thread through the eye of (a needle).

2. to fix (beads, pearls, etc.) upon a thread that is passed through; string.

3. to pass continuously through the whole course of (something); pervade.

   A joyous quality threaded the whole symphony.

4. to make one's way through (a narrow passage, forest, crowd, etc.).

5. to make (one's way) thus.

   He threaded his way through the crowd.

6. to form a thread on or in (a bolt, hole, etc.).

7. to place and arrange thread, yarn, etc., in position on (a sewing machine, loom, textile machine, etc.).

8. to remove (facial hair, especially eyebrow hair) by using a looped and twisted thread to roll over the hair and lift it from the follicles.

verb (used without object)

threads, present (3rd person singular) threaded, past participle, past threading present participle

1. to thread one's way, as through a passage or between obstacles.

   They threaded carefully along the narrow pass.

2. to move in a threadlike course; wind or twine.

3. Cooking. (of boiling syrup) to form a fine thread when poured from a spoon.

4. to remove facial hair, especially from the eyebrows, by using a looped and twisted thread.

thread British  

/ θrɛd /

noun

1. a fine strand, filament or fibre of some material

2. a fine cord of twisted filaments, esp of cotton, used in sewing, weaving, etc

3. any of the filaments of which a spider's web is made

4. any fine line, stream, mark, or piece

   from the air, the path was a thread of white

5. a helical groove in a cylindrical hole ( female thread ), formed by a tap or lathe tool, or a helical ridge on a cylindrical bar, rod, shank, etc ( male thread ), formed by a die or lathe tool

6. a very thin seam of coal or vein of ore

7. something acting as the continuous link or theme of a whole

   the thread of the story

8. the course of an individual's life believed in Greek mythology to be spun, measured, and cut by the Fates

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verb

1. (tr) to pass (thread, film, magnetic tape, etc) through (something)

   to thread a needle

   to thread cotton through a needle

2. (tr) to string on a thread

   she threaded the beads

3. to make (one's way) through or over (something)

4. (tr) to produce a screw thread by cutting, rolling, tapping, or grinding

5. (tr) to pervade

   hysteria threaded his account

6. (intr) (of boiling syrup) to form a fine thread when poured from a spoon

thread Idioms  

1. see hang by a thread; lose the thread.

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• misthread
  verb
• rethread
  verb
• threader
  noun
• threadless
  adjective
• threadlike
  adjective
• self-threading
  adjective

Inflected Forms

noun

• threads
  plural

Conjugated Forms

Present

• have threaded
  perfect
• has threaded
  perfect 3rd person singular
• have been threading
  perfect progressive
• are threading
  progressive
• has been threading
  perfect progressive 3rd person singular
• am threading
  progressive 1st person singular
• is threading
  progressive 3rd person singular
• threading
  participle
• threads
  singular 3rd person

Past

• had threaded
  perfect
• had been threading
  perfect progressive
• were threading
  progressive plural
• was threading
  progressive singular
• threaded
  simple
• threaded
  participle

Future

• will thread
  simple
• will have threaded
  perfect
• will be threading
  progressive
• will have been threading
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of thread

before 900; (noun) Middle English threed, Old English thrǣd; cognate with Dutch draad, German Draht, Old Norse thrathr wire; (v.) Middle English threeden, derivative of the noun See throw

Explanation

Thread is a length of twisted fibers (usually three strands together), made from cotton, silk, or other material, that can be used in sewing, quilting, embroidery, and other handicrafts. The noun thread can also be used figuratively to refer to different parts of something, like thoughts or a conversation, that are connected as if joined by thread. If you were distracted by a crash in the kitchen, you might lose the thread of your conversation. Thread can also refer to the raised ridge on the outside of a screw or bolt, and you can use thread as a verb when you mean to string or to pass a thread through a needle.

Example Sentences

Thread is a small part of the cost of products, but the quality is paramount.

From Barron's • Jan. 16, 2026

Pudsey and the Thread of Hope airs on 24 December at 10:20 GMT on BBC One and iPlayer, and on 27 December at 17:00 GMT on CBeebies and CBBC.

From BBC • Dec. 23, 2025

At Thread Logic, a custom-embroidered apparel firm located in a Minneapolis suburb, a young employee used AI to update the company website.

From The Wall Street Journal • Nov. 15, 2025

California’s three Michelin star Single Thread Restaurant offers a highly regarded non-alcoholic pairing to their meals.

From Salon • Dec. 17, 2024

Instead he found the new Head Peacekeeper, a man they heard someone call Romulus Thread.

From "Catching Fire" by Suzanne Collins

Related Words

• cord
• cotton
• fiber
• filament
• hair
• ribbon
• strand
• string
• wire
• wool
• yarn