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strap

/stɹæp/ noun

In Latin: lōrum, āmentum Wiktionary

noun Definition from WordNet 3.1, Princeton University. Pronunciation from Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org. More about strap at Wordnik → Where our words come from →

  1. An elongated leather strip (or a strip of similar material) for binding things together or holding something in position.
  2. Hanger consisting of a loop of leather suspended from the ceiling of a bus or train; passengers hold onto it.
  3. A band that goes over the shoulder and supports a garment or bag.

verb

  1. Tie with a strap.
  2. Beat severely with a whip or rod.
    The teacher often flogged the students
  3. Sharpen with a strap.
    strap a razor

Origin

From a variant of earlier strope (“loop on a harness”), from Middle English strope, stroppe, from Late Old English strop, stropp (“a band, thong, strap; oar-thong”) and Old French estrope (“strap, loop on a harness”), both from Latin stroppus, struppus (“strap”), from Ancient Greek στρόφος (stróphos, “rope”) (compare strophe), from στρέφω (stréphō, “to twist”), ultimately from Proto-Indo-European *strebʰ- (compare Proto-West Germanic *stroppōn (“to twist, writhe”)). Cognate with Scots strap, strop (“strap, band, thong”), Dutch strop (“noose, strop, loop”), Low German Strop (“strap”), German Struppe, Strüppe, Strippe (“string, cord”), Danish strop (“strap”), Swedish stropp (“strap, loop”).

From Wiktionary, via Kaikki.org (CC BY-SA)