thread

A long, thin piece of cotton or similar material used for sewing or making cloth.

• I need some red thread.
• She cut the thread after sewing on the button.
• Several loose threads hung from his sleeve.

Similar words: sewing cotton, yarn

Common phrases: cotton thread, sewing thread, thread and needle, silk thread

A group of online messages about one subject, including the first message and its replies.

• I read the whole thread.
• She started a thread about cheap hotels.
• Several people replied to my thread yesterday.

Similar words: discussion, conversation

Common phrases: discussion thread, thread about something, start a thread

A raised line around a screw, or a matching groove, that lets it turn into place.

• The thread on this bolt is damaged.
• Turn the nut slowly to protect the thread.
• These screws have very fine threads.

Common phrases: screw thread, internal thread, damaged thread

A very thin length of material, such as a strand in a spider’s web.

• A spider hung from a thin thread.
• Fine threads of glass caught the light.
• The web had several broken threads.

Similar words: filament, strand

Common phrases: thread of silk, glass thread, metal thread

One part of a computer program that runs while other parts can also run.

• The program starts a new thread.
• Two threads update the screen at the same time.
• A background thread handles incoming messages.

Common phrases: background thread, worker thread, thread execution

To move carefully through a narrow space or between things that are in the way.

• We threaded through the crowd.
• She threaded her way between the tables.
• A small boat threaded through the rocks.

How to use it: thread through something (The cyclist threaded through the traffic.); thread your way through something (We threaded our way through the crowded market.)

Similar words: weave, wind

Common phrases: thread through something, thread between something, thread your way

To remove hair from the face using a twisted loop of thin cotton.

• She threads eyebrows at the salon.
• I had my upper lip threaded yesterday.
• Does it hurt when they thread your eyebrows?

Common phrases: thread eyebrows, thread facial hair

To form material into a thin, continuous strand.

• The workers thread the fibers into a thin strand.
• She threaded the wool by twisting it carefully.
• The material can be threaded into a continuous cord.

Similar words: spin

Common phrases: thread the fibers, thread the wool