1. Home
2. Idioms
3. strung

strung

---

---

string something out

 

1. Lit. to unwind, stretch, or straighten something, such as wire, and extend it. The workers strung the wires out before installing them. They strung out the wires first.

2. Fig. to cause something to take more time than it ought to. Is there any good reason to string this meeting out any longer? Don't string out the meetings so long.

See also: out, string

strung out

 

1. extended in time; overly long. Why was that lecture so strung out? She talked and talked. It was strung out because there was very little to be said.

2. Sl. doped or drugged. Bob acted very strangely—as if he were strung out or something. I've never seen Bob or any of his friends strung out.

See also: out, strung

string out something

also string something out

1. to make something continue Zeb hoped he could string out his vacation as long as possible. The legal process could string this dispute out for years.

2. to be spread in a long, thin line Most of Canada's population is strung out along its border with the United States. The early fast pace soon strung the field of runners out over more than a mile.

See also: out, string

highly-strung

  (British & Australian) also high-strung (American)

nervous and easily upset Anna has always been highly-strung, whereas her brother is one of the most relaxed people you could meet.

string out

1. Stretch, extend; also, prolong. For example, The parade strung out for miles, or The meetings strung out over weeks instead of days. [First half of 1800s]

2. strung out. Addicted to, stupefied by, or debilitated by drug use, as in She was completely strung out when they found her. [Second half of 1900s]

See also: out, string

string out

v.

1. To make something longer than usual or necessary; prolong something: The prosecution strung out the trial hoping to get the time to gather more evidence. We've already said everything that needs to be said in this conversation, so why do you keep trying to string it out?

2. To spread out in a line. Used in the passive: From the plane, we could see small villages that were strung out along the coast.

3. Slang To become intoxicated, especially with an addictive opiate or stimulant. Used in the passive: He was so strung out that he couldn't talk. People started to suspect that the athlete was strung out on coke or booze, or both.

See also: out, string

strung out

1. and strung (up) mod. drug intoxicated and bewildered. (Drugs.) Marlon is really strung out lately. What’s he shooting now?

2. mod. badly addicted to heroin; dissipated by heroin. (Drugs.) Clare is strung out and can’t deny her problem any longer.

3. mod. depressed; nervous. I’m a little strung out—because of the accident, I guess.

4. mod. in love and disoriented. Sam is strung out over Mary.

See also: out, strung

strung (up)

verb

See strung out

See also: strung

strung-out shape

n. a tired and exhausted condition. They were sort of in strung-out shape, tired and ready for the sack.

See also: shape