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shoestring

English

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shoestring

  • /ˈʃuːstɹɪŋ/ UK
  • /ˈʃustɹɪŋ/ US

Where it comes from

The noun is derived from shoe + string. The adjective is derived from the noun, while the verb is derived from terms such as shoestring catch and shoestring tackle.

noun shoestrings

  1. US The string or lace used to secure a shoe to the foot; a shoelace. Your shoestring is untied.
  2. attributive, figuratively, often An object that is long and thin, like a shoestring (sense 1).
  3. attributive, figuratively, often A long, narrow cut of a food; a julienne. shoestring French fries
  4. attributive, figuratively, often Chiefly in on a shoestring: very little money; a tight budget. He was able to organize the event on a shoestring.

adjective

  1. US, not comparable Of a catch or tackle: made near the ground, close to a player's shoes.

verb shoestrings · shoestringing · shoestringed

  1. transitive To tackle (a player) using a shoestring tackle (“one made near the ground, close to a player's shoes”).
  2. transitive To catch (a ball) using a shoestring catch (“one made near the ground, close to a player's shoes”). We didn't score in our half of the eighth, but it was only because Ernie's line drive was shoestringed by the Giant left fielder, with Rusty Howarth on second.

Translations

Every language

noun long, narrow cut of a food — see also julienne

Françaisjulienne, allumette
Русскийсоло́мка solómka

noun very little money; a tight budget

Русскийнебольша́я су́мма де́нег nebolʹšája súmma déneg, небольши́е сбереже́ния nebolʹšíje sberežénija

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MLA

"shoestring." Wiktionary, via Micwyn, micwyn.com/word/shoestring. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

APA

shoestring. (n.d.). In Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Retrieved November 6, 2026, from https://micwyn.com/word/shoestring

Chicago

"shoestring." Wiktionary, via Micwyn. Accessed November 6, 2026. https://micwyn.com/word/shoestring.

BibTeX
@misc{shoestring_2026,
  title = {shoestring},
  howpublished = {Wiktionary, via Micwyn},
  year = {2026},
  url = {https://micwyn.com/word/shoestring},
  urldate = {2026-11-06}
}