thread

common thread

An idea or theme that is consistently present in several different areas or things. What is the common thread in these three novels?

hang by a thread

1. Literally, to be attached only by single thread, strand, or something similar. If that button is only hanging by a thread, you're bound to lose it during the course of the day.

2. To be perilously close to failing, dying, or resulting in a bad outcome. After the loss, their chances of getting into the championships are hanging by a thread. Her life hung by a thread as medics rushed her to the hospital.

See also: by, hang, thread

hang on by a thread

To be perilously close to failing, dying, or resulting in a bad outcome. After the loss, their chances of getting into the championships are hanging on by a thread. Her life hung on by a thread as medics rushed her to the hospital.

lose the drift (of something)

To stop being able to understand or follow something, such as an explanation, because one has become distracted or confused. Sorry, can you back up? I lost the drift of the topic when you started talking about genetic formations. I think this writer is trying to intentionally make us lose the drift so that the narrator becomes untrustworthy.

lose the thread

To stop understanding or following something, such as an explanation, because one has become distracted or confused. Sorry, can you back up? I lost the thread when you started talking about genes. I think this writer is trying to intentionally make us lose the thread so that the story becomes disorienting.

pick up the threads (of something)

1. To begin doing something again after it had previously been stopped or on hiatus. The author states that the novel is an attempt to pick up the threads of an unfinished manuscript found in his late father's desk drawer.

2. To try to return something to normal after a very bad experience interrupts it. We've all been trying to pick up the threads of our lives after the economic crash.

thread (one's) way through (something)

To move carefully between people or things that are numerous and close together. We threaded our way through the crowd to reach the front of the stage. You'll have to thread your way through the clutter in the storeroom to reach the circuit breaker at the back.

thread and thrum

A combination of good and bad. "Thrum" are the bits of thread left on the loom after a finished item has been removed. I know you're disappointed with your minor role in the play, but at least you get to act—you have to accept the thread and thrum.

thread the needle

1. To insert thread through the eye of a needle. You'll need to thread the needle before you can start sewing.

2. To pass something through a narrow space between two things. The quarterback really threaded the needle with that pass between two defenders.

3. A children's game in which the participants stand in a line and hold hands. The person at the end of the line then ducks under the others' linked arms, pulling the rest of the line along with them. Come on, we're playing thread the needle!

thread through (something)

1. To cause something to pass through some small opening or passage in the manner of thread being passed through the eye of a needle. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "thread" and "through." You'll have to thread this wire through a tiny eyelet near the mainframe. Start threading the film through the slot in the machine, and it will automatically begin spooling it for you.

2. To move or traverse through some place that is crowded with people or things. The criminal threaded through the throng of tourists on the boardwalk to escape the police officer who was following him. I had to thread through the cluttered warehouse to find my way to the shelves in the back.

threads

slang Clothes. Wow, those are some stylish new threads! You're never going to land a job wearing those dirty old threads.

common thread (to all this)

Fig. a similar idea or pattern to a series of events. All of these incidents are related. There is a common thread to all this.

hang by a hair

and hang by a thread

1. Lit. to hang by something very thin, such as a thread or a hair. The tiniest part of the mobile hung by a thread, the rest are on plastic cords.

2. and hang on by a hair; hang on by a thread Fig. to depend on something very insubstantial; to hang in the balance. Your whole argument is hanging by a thread. John isn't failing geometry, but his passing grade is just hanging by a hair.

thread one's way through something

Fig. to make a path for oneself through a crowded area; to make one's way carefully through a crowded area. The spy threaded his way through the crowd. The bicyclists threaded their way through the cars stopped in traffic.

thread through something

Fig. to travel through a crowded area; to move carefully through an area where there are many obstacles. The spy threaded through the crowd at the palace. The joggers threaded through the shoppers on the sidewalks.

hang by a thread

Also, hang by a hair. Be in a risky or unstable situation, as in His promotion was hanging by a thread, or With the lead actor sick, the success of our play hung by a hair. This expression, already proverbial in the early 1500s, alludes to Damocles, who vexed King Dionysius with constant flattery. The king invited him to a banquet where Damocles found himself seated under a naked sword suspended by a single hair, symbolizing his insecure position at the court.

See also: by, hang, thread

lose the thread

Cease to follow the sense of what is said. For example, It was such a long story that I soon lost the thread. This expression uses thread in the sense of "something that connects the various points of a narrative." [Mid-1900s]

hang by a thread

1. If something hangs by a thread, it is very likely to fail, although it has not failed yet. It's clear that the ceasefire is hanging by a thread. England's World Cup hopes hang by a thread and they must now rely on the results of the others in their group going their way.

2. If someone's life hangs by a thread, they are seriously ill and are very likely to die. His kidneys had failed and his life was hanging by a thread. Note: This expression may relate to the story of the Sword of Damocles: see the explanation at `sword'.

See also: by, hang, thread

Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed.

pick up the threads

resume something that has been interrupted.

hang by a thread

be in a highly precarious state.

See also: by, hang, thread

lose the (or your) thread

be unable to follow what someone is saying or remember what you are going to say next.

lose the ˈdrift/ˈthread of something

be unable to follow a story, discussion, etc. because you cannot understand the relationship between events, facts, etc: I had to go out in the middle of the film and when I came back I found I’d lost the thread entirely. When they started talking about artificial intelligence, I completely lost the drift of the argument.

See also: drift, lose, of, something, thread

hang by a ˈthread/ˈhair

be in a very uncertain situation: After the operation, his life hung by a thread for several hours. The future of this company hangs by a thread. Unless we get two or three big orders by the end of the month, we’re finished.

the loose ˈends/ˈthreads

the minor details of something which have still not been dealt with or explained: We’ve almost finished the report. There are just a few loose ends to tie up and then it’ll be ready. It’s a very unsatisfactory detective story. You know who committed the murder, but there are far too many loose ends.

A loose end/thread is the end of a piece of string or thread that is not tied to anything else.

pick up the ˈthreads

start something, for example an activity, a relationship, a career, again after a break: It’s not easy for women returning to work to pick up the threads of their earlier careers.

thread your way through (something)

move through a place by moving round and between people or things: I threaded my way through the busy streets.

threads

n. clothing. When’d you get new threads, man?

hang by a thread, to

To be in a precarious situation. This expression comes from the story of Damocles, a servile courtier to Dionysius I of Syracuse. Tired of hearing Damocles praise him to the skies, Dionysius invited him to a magnificent banquet. Seated there, Damocles looked up and saw a naked sword suspended over his head by a single hair, whereby the king intended to show his servant the insecurity of his position. By the sixteenth century the story had been converted into a proverb, “It hangs by a hair,” listed in Erasmus’s Adagia (1523), and in the course of time hair was changed to thread.

词组	thread
释义	thread common thread An idea or theme that is consistently present in several different areas or things. What is the common thread in these three novels? See also: common, thread hang by a thread 1. Literally, to be attached only by single thread, strand, or something similar. If that button is only hanging by a thread, you're bound to lose it during the course of the day. 2. To be perilously close to failing, dying, or resulting in a bad outcome. After the loss, their chances of getting into the championships are hanging by a thread. Her life hung by a thread as medics rushed her to the hospital. See also: by, hang, thread hang on by a thread To be perilously close to failing, dying, or resulting in a bad outcome. After the loss, their chances of getting into the championships are hanging on by a thread. Her life hung on by a thread as medics rushed her to the hospital. See also: by, hang, on, thread lose the drift (of something) To stop being able to understand or follow something, such as an explanation, because one has become distracted or confused. Sorry, can you back up? I lost the drift of the topic when you started talking about genetic formations. I think this writer is trying to intentionally make us lose the drift so that the narrator becomes untrustworthy. See also: drift, lose lose the thread To stop understanding or following something, such as an explanation, because one has become distracted or confused. Sorry, can you back up? I lost the thread when you started talking about genes. I think this writer is trying to intentionally make us lose the thread so that the story becomes disorienting. See also: lose, thread pick up the threads (of something) 1. To begin doing something again after it had previously been stopped or on hiatus. The author states that the novel is an attempt to pick up the threads of an unfinished manuscript found in his late father's desk drawer. 2. To try to return something to normal after a very bad experience interrupts it. We've all been trying to pick up the threads of our lives after the economic crash. See also: pick, thread, up thread (one's) way through (something) To move carefully between people or things that are numerous and close together. We threaded our way through the crowd to reach the front of the stage. You'll have to thread your way through the clutter in the storeroom to reach the circuit breaker at the back. See also: thread, through, way thread and thrum A combination of good and bad. "Thrum" are the bits of thread left on the loom after a finished item has been removed. I know you're disappointed with your minor role in the play, but at least you get to act—you have to accept the thread and thrum. See also: and, thread thread the needle 1. To insert thread through the eye of a needle. You'll need to thread the needle before you can start sewing. 2. To pass something through a narrow space between two things. The quarterback really threaded the needle with that pass between two defenders. 3. A children's game in which the participants stand in a line and hold hands. The person at the end of the line then ducks under the others' linked arms, pulling the rest of the line along with them. Come on, we're playing thread the needle! See also: needle, thread thread through (something) 1. To cause something to pass through some small opening or passage in the manner of thread being passed through the eye of a needle. In this usage, a noun or pronoun is used between "thread" and "through." You'll have to thread this wire through a tiny eyelet near the mainframe. Start threading the film through the slot in the machine, and it will automatically begin spooling it for you. 2. To move or traverse through some place that is crowded with people or things. The criminal threaded through the throng of tourists on the boardwalk to escape the police officer who was following him. I had to thread through the cluttered warehouse to find my way to the shelves in the back. See also: thread, through threads slang Clothes. Wow, those are some stylish new threads! You're never going to land a job wearing those dirty old threads. See also: thread Farlex Dictionary of Idioms. common thread (to all this) Fig. a similar idea or pattern to a series of events. All of these incidents are related. There is a common thread to all this. See also: common, thread hang by a hair and hang by a thread 1. Lit. to hang by something very thin, such as a thread or a hair. The tiniest part of the mobile hung by a thread, the rest are on plastic cords. 2. and hang on by a hair; hang on by a thread Fig. to depend on something very insubstantial; to hang in the balance. Your whole argument is hanging by a thread. John isn't failing geometry, but his passing grade is just hanging by a hair. See also: by, hair, hang thread one's way through something Fig. to make a path for oneself through a crowded area; to make one's way carefully through a crowded area. The spy threaded his way through the crowd. The bicyclists threaded their way through the cars stopped in traffic. See also: thread, through, way thread through something Fig. to travel through a crowded area; to move carefully through an area where there are many obstacles. The spy threaded through the crowd at the palace. The joggers threaded through the shoppers on the sidewalks. See also: thread, through McGraw-Hill Dictionary of American Idioms and Phrasal Verbs. hang by a thread Also, hang by a hair. Be in a risky or unstable situation, as in His promotion was hanging by a thread, or With the lead actor sick, the success of our play hung by a hair. This expression, already proverbial in the early 1500s, alludes to Damocles, who vexed King Dionysius with constant flattery. The king invited him to a banquet where Damocles found himself seated under a naked sword suspended by a single hair, symbolizing his insecure position at the court. See also: by, hang, thread lose the thread Cease to follow the sense of what is said. For example, It was such a long story that I soon lost the thread. This expression uses thread in the sense of "something that connects the various points of a narrative." [Mid-1900s] See also: lose, thread The American Heritage® Dictionary of Idioms by Christine Ammer. hang by a thread 1. If something hangs by a thread, it is very likely to fail, although it has not failed yet. It's clear that the ceasefire is hanging by a thread. England's World Cup hopes hang by a thread and they must now rely on the results of the others in their group going their way. 2. If someone's life hangs by a thread, they are seriously ill and are very likely to die. His kidneys had failed and his life was hanging by a thread. Note: This expression may relate to the story of the Sword of Damocles: see the explanation at `sword'. See also: by, hang, thread Collins COBUILD Idioms Dictionary, 3rd ed. pick up the threads resume something that has been interrupted. See also: pick, thread, up hang by a thread be in a highly precarious state. See also: by, hang, thread lose the (or your) thread be unable to follow what someone is saying or remember what you are going to say next. See also: lose, thread Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary lose the ˈdrift/ˈthread of something be unable to follow a story, discussion, etc. because you cannot understand the relationship between events, facts, etc: I had to go out in the middle of the film and when I came back I found I’d lost the thread entirely. When they started talking about artificial intelligence, I completely lost the drift of the argument. See also: drift, lose, of, something, thread hang by a ˈthread/ˈhair be in a very uncertain situation: After the operation, his life hung by a thread for several hours. The future of this company hangs by a thread. Unless we get two or three big orders by the end of the month, we’re finished. See also: by, hair, hang, thread the loose ˈends/ˈthreads the minor details of something which have still not been dealt with or explained: We’ve almost finished the report. There are just a few loose ends to tie up and then it’ll be ready. It’s a very unsatisfactory detective story. You know who committed the murder, but there are far too many loose ends. A loose end/thread is the end of a piece of string or thread that is not tied to anything else. See also: end, loose, thread pick up the ˈthreads start something, for example an activity, a relationship, a career, again after a break: It’s not easy for women returning to work to pick up the threads of their earlier careers. See also: pick, thread, up thread your way through (something) move through a place by moving round and between people or things: I threaded my way through the busy streets. See also: thread, through, way Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary threads n. clothing. When’d you get new threads, man? See also: thread McGraw-Hill's Dictionary of American Slang and Colloquial Expressions hang by a thread, to To be in a precarious situation. This expression comes from the story of Damocles, a servile courtier to Dionysius I of Syracuse. Tired of hearing Damocles praise him to the skies, Dionysius invited him to a magnificent banquet. Seated there, Damocles looked up and saw a naked sword suspended over his head by a single hair, whereby the king intended to show his servant the insecurity of his position. By the sixteenth century the story had been converted into a proverb, “It hangs by a hair,” listed in Erasmus’s Adagia (1523), and in the course of time hair was changed to thread. See also: by, hang The Dictionary of Clichés by Christine Ammer See also: common thread common touch, the the common touch in the Common Era (as) common as an old shoe common as an old shoe common common as muck as common as muck common decency References in periodicals archive Bring up the bobbin thread by holding the needle thread in one hand and press the single-stitch key. Longarm quilting demystified The dual cylindrical contact zones in the nose and rear of the XT threads significantly increase the lateral support between thread joints and stabilize the connections with more rigidity to provide better energy transfer. Rockmore's vector rod system advances drilling Krypten's UV Switch thread, meanwhile, incorporates a UV fluorescent feature that switches from red to yellow/green when the viewing angle is changed under UV. Krypten--innovations in optical security threads Even after being tightened, NPT threads leave a spiral leak path as there is no thread crest and root contact. End terminations identification--part 3 As mentioned in the previous article, the AI system that manages the big picture of the game fits nicely in its own thread. It can analyze the playing field and send out commands to the different entities, which can parse them when they get around to it. Designing Artificial Intelligence for Games (Part 4) For any type of friendship bracelet, you will need to buy embroidery threads in different colours. AMAZE YOUR MATES WITH THIS GIFT OF FRIENDSHIP; YOU PLAN YOUR TIME TOGETHER With Janet Tansley 2 leases are read in between the warp threads (1) at the same time during the leasing process making it more secure. StAubli: OPAL leasing machine for multiple thread layers As the final step, tie all of the threads into a knot, as you did at the beginning. Friendship bracelets But aren't these threads or virtual processors all fighting for the same resource? Real-time apps using multi-threads Thread milling was introduced with CNC machine tools. Threading the tapping needle: modern tools and the right control software can produce inside threads with or without chips. Finding the right method for a job means knowing the material, the machine, and the means When you come across a grip-screw bushing thread that's badly worn to the point where it's loose and won't tighten, or if you find one where the threads have been stripped or cross-threaded, there's a very simple fix to the problem. Installing and repairing 1911-type grip-screw bushings: whether you're building up a new 1911 frame or repairing stripped-out grip screws, there are a few things you need to know about those tiny little bushings Photo filters aside, medical advancements have made it possible to turn back time through thread lifts that give long-lasting results without the surgery and the side effects that come with surgical facelifts. The Invisible Lift As seen in the accompanying diagram, shoulder bolts have three main sections: the head, the shoulder, and the thread. You specify a shoulder bolt by its shoulder diameter and shoulder length. PART 1: Shoulder Bolts: Why They're Too Important to Ignore: These humble but essential fasteners used in injection molds are known by various names and used for a number of purposes
随便看	call one's own call (one's) shots call (one) to attention call (one) to task call on (someone or something) call on the carpet call out call over call Ralph call roll call Ruth call shotgun call somebody names call somebody's bluff call somebody to account call someone names call (someone or something) into question call (someone or something) to (one's) attention call someone out call someone's bluff call someone's bluff, to call (someone) to heel call (something) into play call (something) square call something your own