straggle

[ strag-uh l ]

/ ˈstræg əl /

verb (used without object), strag·gled, strag·gling.

to stray from the road, course, or line of march.

to wander about in a scattered fashion; ramble.

to spread or be spread in a scattered fashion or at irregular intervals: The trees straggle over the countryside.

Words nearby straggle

stradella, stradivari, stradivarius, strafe, strafford, straggle, straggly, straight, straight a, straight and narrow, straight and narrow, the

Origin of straggle

1350–1400; Middle English straglen < ?

OTHER WORDS FROM straggle

strag·gler, nounstrag·gling·ly, adverb

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

Examples from the Web for stragglers

Then the crowd dispersed and a few of the stragglers were arrested.
Mexican Protesters Look to Start a New Revolution|Jason McGahan|November 21, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Dismounting, I received congratulations on not dying from a couple of stragglers in our group who had seen the whole thing unfold.
Monument Valley From the Eyes of a Krazy Kat and John Ford Fan|Malcolm Jones|February 3, 2012|DAILY BEAST
Once in their seats, a coach runs them through the song, attempting to bring the stragglers up to speed.
Secret Rituals of American Idol Auditions Exposed|Richard Rushfield|January 19, 2010|DAILY BEAST
Stragglers were coming and going into the fall and winter, so some delegates did not sign until several months later.
Nothing Happened on the Fourth|Joseph J. Ellis|July 3, 2009|DAILY BEAST

Some of the stragglers were still in the houses; in one of them I heard some soldiers playing a piano.
Ten years in the ranks, U.S. army|Augustus Meyers
It has had its advance-guard, its rear-guard, and its stragglers.
What Social Classes Owe to Each Other|William Graham Sumner
"Some stragglers kept behind for something, seeking to catch up the main body," spoke Rogers in a whisper.
French and English|Evelyn Everett-Green
When I came up the second time I was quite far enough to be safe, and the stragglers had largely disappeared on board.
The Devil's Own|Randall Parrish
The stragglers were collected and returned to their commands.
Uncle Daniel's Story Of "Tom" Anderson|John McElroy

British Dictionary definitions for stragglers

straggle

/ (ˈstræɡəl) /

verb (intr)

to go, come, or spread in a rambling or irregular way; stray

to linger behind or wander from a main line or part

Derived forms of straggle

straggler, nounstraggling, adjectivestragglingly, adverbstraggly, adjective

Word Origin for straggle

C14: of uncertain origin; perhaps related to strake and stretch

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

straggle

verb (used without object), strag·gled, strag·gling.

Words related to straggle

Words nearby straggle

Origin of straggle

OTHER WORDS FROM straggle

Examples from the Web for stragglers

British Dictionary definitions for stragglers

verb (intr)

Derived forms of straggle

Word Origin for straggle