second string

American  

noun

1. Sports. the squad of players available either individually or as a team to replace or relieve those who start a game.

2. a secondary position, status, or group, as in a level of corporate management.

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second string British  

noun

1. an alternative course of action, etc, intended to come into use should the first fail (esp in the phrase a second string to one's bow )

2. a substitute or reserve player or team

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adjective

1. sport

   1. being a substitute player

   2. being the second-ranked player of a team in an individual sport

2. second-rate or inferior

Other Word Forms

• second-string adjective
• second-stringer noun

Etymology

Origin of second string

1635–45 in sense “backup, resort,” alluding to a second bowstring; 1860–65, applied to racehorses; 1950–55, to sports teams

Example Sentences

“So I go from second string to Class D ball — which wasn’t as good as our ‘SC team — to the big leagues all within 60 days.

From Los Angeles Times

Manchester United's second string versus such a poor West Ham side with nothing to play for is not exactly essential viewing, is it?

From BBC

And even though they are playing their second string in the tournament - with star player Cole Palmer not even registered - they are blowing everyone away.

From BBC

“There’s no starters, there’s no second string, there’s no third string,” Bruener said.

From Seattle Times

Fill in intermittently for the starters or the second string during practice when they need a break.

From Seattle Times