Stratagem Strat"a·gem noun [ French stratagème (cf. Spanish estratagema , Italian stratagemma ), Latin strategema , Greek ..., from ... to be leader of an army, from ... a general; ... an army (probably as being spread out; confer Stratum ) + ... to lead. See Agent .] An artifice or trick in war for deceiving the enemy; hence, in general, artifice; deceptive device; secret plot; evil machination.

Fit for treasons, stratagems , and spoils.

Shak.

Those oft are stratagems which error seem,
Nor is it Homer nods, but we that dream.

Pope.

Stratagemical Strat`a·gem"ic·al adjective Containing stratagem; as, a stratagemical epistle. [ R.] Swift.

Stratarithmetry Strat`a·rith"me·try noun [ Greek ... army + ... number + -metry .] (Mil.) The art of drawing up an army, or any given number of men, in any geometrical figure, or of estimating or expressing the number of men in such a figure.

Strategetic, Strategetical Strat`e·get"ic, Strat`e·get"ic·al adjective Strategic.

Strategetics Strat`e·get"ics noun Strategy.

Strategic, Strategical Stra·te"gic, Stra·te"gic·al adjective [ Greek ... of or for a general: confer French stratégique .] Of or pertaining to strategy; effected by artifice. -- Stra*te"gic*al*ly , adverb

Strategic line (Mil.) , a line joining strategic points. -- Strategic point (Mil.) , any point or region in the theater or warlike operations which affords to its possessor an advantage over his opponent, as a mountain pass, a junction of rivers or roads, a fortress, etc.

Strategics Stra·te"gics noun Strategy.

Strategist Strat"e·gist noun [ Confer French stratégiste .] One skilled in strategy, or the science of directing great military movements.

Strategus Stra·te"gus noun ; plural Strategi . [ Latin , from Greek .... See Stratagem .] (Gr. Antiq.) The leader or commander of an army; a general.

Strategy Strat"e·gy noun [ Greek ...: confer French stratégie . See Stratagem .] 1. The science of military command, or the science of projecting campaigns and directing great military movements; generalship.

2. The use of stratagem or artifice.

Strath Strath noun [ Gael. srath .] A valley of considerable size, through which a river runs; a valley bottom; -- often used in composition with the name of the river; as, Strath Spey, Strath don, Strath more. [ Scot.]

The long green strath of Napa valley.

R. Latin Stevenson.

Strathspey Strath"spey` noun [ So called from the district of Strath Spey in Scotland.] A lively Scottish dance, resembling the reel, but slower; also, the tune.

Straticulate Stra·tic"u·late adjective [ Dim. Fr. stratum .] (Min.) Characterized by the presence of thin parallel strata, or layers, as in an agate.

Stratification Strat`i·fi·ca"tion noun [ Confer French stratification .] 1. The act or process of laying in strata, or the state of being laid in the form of strata, or layers.

2. (Physiol.) The deposition of material in successive layers in the growth of a cell wall, thus giving rise to a stratified appearance.

Stratified Strat"i·fied adjective Having its substance arranged in strata, or layers; as, stratified rock.

Stratiform Strat"i·form adjective Having the form of strata.

Stratify Strat"i·fy transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Stratified ; present participle & verbal noun Stratifying .] [ Stratum + -fy : confer French stratifier .] To form or deposit in strata, or layers, as substances in the earth; to arrange in strata.

Stratigraphic, -ical Strat`i·graph"ic, -ic·al adjective (Mil.) See Stratographic .

Stratigraphic, Stratigraphical Strat`i·graph"ic, Strat`i·graph"ic·al adjective (Geol.) Pertaining to, or depended upon, the order or arrangement of strata; as, stratigraphical evidence. -- Strat`i*graph"ic*al*ly , adverb

Stratigraphy Stra·tig"ra·phy noun [ Stratum + -graphy .] That branch of geology which treats of the arrangement and succession of strata.

Strato-cirrus Stra`to-cir"rus noun [ Stratus + cirrus .] (Meteor.) An alto-stratus cloud.

Strato-cumulus Stra`to-cu"mu·lus noun [ Stratus + cumulus .] (Meteor.) Large balls or rolls of dark cloud which frequently cover the whole sky, esp. in winter, and give it at times an undulated appearance.

Stratocracy Stra·toc"ra·cy noun [ Greek ... an army + -cracy , as in demo cracy : confer French stratocratie .] A military government; government by military chiefs and an army.

Stratographic, Stratographical Strat`o·graph"ic, Strat`o·graph"ic·al adjective Of or pertaining to stratography.

Stratography Stra·tog"ra·phy noun [ Greek ... an army + -graphy .] A description of an army, or of what belongs to an army.

Stratonic Stra·ton"ic adjective [ Greek ... an army.] Of or pertaining to an army. [ R.]

Stratotic Stra·tot"ic adjective Warlike; military. [ R.]

Stratum Stra"tum noun ; plural English Stratums , Latin Strata . The latter is more common. [ Latin , from sternere , stratum , to spread; akin to Greek ... to spread, strew. See Strew , and confer Consternation , Estrade , Prostrate , Stratus , Street .] 1. (Geol.) A bed of earth or rock of one kind, formed by natural causes, and consisting usually of a series of layers, which form a rock as it lies between beds of other kinds. Also used figuratively.

2. A bed or layer artificially made; a course.

Stratus Stra"tus noun [ Latin stratus a spreading out, scattering, from sternere , stratum , to spread.] (Meteor.) A form of clouds in which they are arranged in a horizontal band or layer. See Cloud .

Straught Straught obsolete imperfect & past participle of Stretch .

Straught Straught transitive verb To stretch; to make straight. [ Written also straucht .] [ Scot.] Sir W. Scott.

Straw Straw transitive verb To spread or scatter. See Strew , and Strow . Chaucer.

Straw Straw noun [ Middle English straw , stre , stree , Anglo-Saxon streáw , from the root of English strew ; akin to OFries. strē , Dutch stroo , German stroh , Old High German strō , Icelandic strā , Danish straa , Swedish strå . √166. See Strew .] 1. A stalk or stem of certain species of grain, pulse, etc., especially of wheat, rye, oats, barley, more rarely of buckwheat, beans, and pease.

2. The gathered and thrashed stalks of certain species of grain, etc.; as, a bundle, or a load, of rye straw .

3. Anything proverbially worthless; the least possible thing; a mere trifle.

I set not a straw by thy dreamings.

Chaucer.

» Straw is often used in the formation of self- explaining compounds; as, straw -built, straw -crowned, straw -roofed, straw -stuffed, and the like.

Man of straw , an effigy formed by stuffing the garments of a man with straw; hence, a fictitious person; an irresponsible person; a puppet. -- Straw bail , worthless bail, as being given by irresponsible persons. [ Colloq. U.S.] -- Straw bid , a worthless bid; a bid for a contract which the bidder is unable or unwilling to fulfill. [ Colloq. U.S.] -- Straw cat (Zoology) , the pampas cat. -- Straw color , the color of dry straw, being a delicate yellow. -- Straw drain , a drain filled with straw. -- Straw plait , or Straw plat , a strip formed by plaiting straws, used for making hats, bonnets, etc. -- To be in the straw , to be brought to bed, as a pregnant woman. [ Slang]

Straw-colored Straw"-col`ored adjective Being of a straw color. See Straw color , under Straw , noun

Straw-cutter Straw"-cut`ter noun An instrument to cut straw for fodder.

Strawberry Straw"ber·ry noun [ Anglo-Saxon streáwberige ; streáw straw + berie berry; perhaps from the resemblance of the runners of the plant to straws.] (Botany) A fragrant edible berry, of a delicious taste and commonly of a red color, the fruit of a plant of the genus Fragaria , of which there are many varieties. Also, the plant bearing the fruit. The common American strawberry is Fragaria virginiana ; the European, F. vesca . There are also other less common species.

Strawberry bass . (Zoology) See Calico bass , under Calico . -- Strawberry blite . (Botany) See under Blite . -- Strawberry borer (Zoology) , any one of several species of insects whose larvæ burrow in the crown or roots of the strawberry vine. Especially: (a) The root borer ( Anarsia lineatella ), a very small dark gray moth whose larvæ burrow both in the larger roots and crown, often doing great damage. (b) The crown borer ( Tyloderma fragariæ ), a small brown weevil whose larva burrows in the crown and kills the plant. -- Strawberry bush (Botany) , an American shrub ( Euonymus Americanus ), a kind of spindle tree having crimson pods and the seeds covered with a scarlet aril. -- Strawberry crab (Zoology) , a small European spider crab ( Eurynome aspera ); -- so called because the back is covered with pink tubercles. -- Strawberry fish (Zoology) , the amadavat. -- Strawberry geranium (Botany) , a kind of saxifrage ( Saxifraga sarmentosa ) having reniform leaves, and producing long runners like those of the strawberry. -- Strawberry leaf . (a) The leaf of the strawberry . (b) The symbol of the rank or estate of a duke, because the ducal coronet is twined with strawberry leaves . "The strawberry leaves on her chariot panels are engraved on her ladyship's heart." Thackeray. -- Strawberry-leaf roller (Zoology) , any one of several species of moths whose larvæ roll up, and feed upon, the leaves of the strawberry vine; especially, Phoxopteris fragariæ , and Eccopsis permundana . -- Strawberry moth (Zoology) , any one of several species of moth whose larvæ feed on the strawberry vines ; as: (a) The smeared dagger ( Apatela oblinita ), whose large hairy larva is velvety black with two rows of bright yellow spots on each side. (b) A geometrid ( Angerona crocataria ) which is yellow with dusky spots on the wings. Called also currant moth . -- Strawberry pear (Botany) , the red ovoid fruit of a West Indian plant of the genus Cereus ( C. triangularia ). It has a sweetish flavor, and is slightly acid, pleasant, and cooling. Also, the plant bearing the fruit. -- Strawberry sawfly (Zoology) , a small black sawfly ( Emphytus maculatus ) whose larva eats the leaves of the strawberry vine. -- Strawberry tomato . (Botany) See Alkekengi . -- Strawberry tree . (Botany) See Arbutus . -- Strawberry vine (Botany) , the plant which yields the strawberry. -- Strawberry worm (Zoology) , the larva of any moth which feeds on the strawberry vine.

Strawboard Straw"board` noun Pasteboard made of pulp of straw.

Strawed Strawed imperfect & past participle of Straw . [ Obsolete]

Strawworm Straw"worm` noun A caddice worm.

Strawy Straw"y adjective Of or pertaining to straw; made of, or resembling, straw. Shak.

Stray Stray intransitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Strayed ; present participle & verbal noun Straying .] [ Old French estraier , estraer , to stray, or as adj., stray, from (assumed) Latin stratarius roving the streets, from Latin strata (sc. via ) a paved road. See Street , and Stray , adjective ] 1. To wander, as from a direct course; to deviate, or go out of the way.

Thames among the wanton valleys strays .

Denham.

2. To wander from company, or from the proper limits; to rove at large; to roam; to go astray.

Now, until the break of day,
Through this house each fairy stray .

Shak.

A sheep doth very often stray .

Shak.

3. Figuratively, to wander from the path of duty or rectitude; to err.

We have erred and strayed from thy ways.

......... of Com. Prayer.

While meaner things, whom instinct leads,
Are rarely known to stray .

Cowper.

Syn. -- To deviate; err; swerve; rove; roam; wander.

Stray Stray transitive verb To cause to stray. [ Obsolete] Shak.

Stray Stray adjective [ Confer Old French estraié , past participle of estraier . See Stray , intransitive verb , and confer Astray , Estray .] Having gone astray; strayed; wandering; as, a stray horse or sheep.

Stray line (Nautical) , that portion of the log line which is veered from the reel to allow the chip to get clear of the stern eddies before the glass is turned. -- Stray mark (Nautical) , the mark indicating the end of the stray line.

Stray Stray noun 1. Any domestic animal that has an inclosure, or its proper place and company, and wanders at large, or is lost; an estray. Used also figuratively.

Seeing him wander about, I took him up for a stray .

Dryden.

2. The act of wandering or going astray. [ R.] Shak.

Strayer Stray"er noun One who strays; a wanderer.

Stre Stre noun Straw. [ Obsolete] Chaucer.

Streak Streak transitive verb [ Confer Stretch , Streek .] To stretch; to extend; hence, to lay out, as a dead body. [ Obsolete or Prov. Eng. & Scot.]

Streak Streak noun [ Middle English streke ; akin to Dutch streek a line, stroke, German strich , Anglo-Saxon strica , Swedish strek , Danish streg , Goth. stricks , and English strike , stroke . See Strike , Stroke , noun , and confer Strake .] 1. A line or long mark of a different color from the ground; a stripe; a vein.

What mean those colored streaks in heaven?

Milton.

2. (Shipbuilding) A strake.

3. (Min.) The fine powder or mark yielded by a mineral when scratched or rubbed against a harder surface, the color of which is sometimes a distinguishing character.

4. The rung or round of a ladder. [ Obsolete]

Streak Streak transitive verb [ imperfect & past participle Streaked ; present participle & verbal noun Streaking .] 1. To form streaks or stripes in or on; to stripe; to variegate with lines of a different color, or of different colors.

A mule . . . streaked and dappled with white and black.

Sandys.

Now streaked and glowing with the morning red.

Prior.

2. With it as an object: To run swiftly. [ Colloq.]

Streaked Streaked adjective 1. Marked or variegated with stripes.

2. Uncomfortable; out of sorts. [ Local, U.S.]

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