Definitions for: Straggle


[n] a wandering or disorderly grouping (of things or persons); "a straggle of outbuildings"; "a straggle of followers"
[v] go, come, or spread in a rambling or irregular way; "Branches straggling out quite far"
[v] wander from a direct or straight course



Webster (1913) Definition: Strag"gle, v. i. [imp. & p. p. Straggled; p. pr. &
vb. n. Straggling.] [Freq. of OE. straken to roam, to
stroke. See Stroke, v. t.]
1. To wander from the direct course or way; to rove; to
stray; to wander from the line of march or desert the line
of battle; as, when troops are on the march, the men
should not straggle. --Dryden.

2. To wander at large; to roam idly about; to ramble.

The wolf spied out a straggling kid. --L'Estrange.

3. To escape or stretch beyond proper limits, as the branches
of a plant; to spread widely apart; to shoot too far or
widely in growth.

Trim off the small, superfluous branches on each
side of the hedge that straggle too far out.
--Mortimer.

4. To be dispersed or separated; to occur at intervals.
``Straggling pistol shots.'' --Sir W. Scott.

They came between Scylla and Charybdis and the
straggling rocks. --Sir W.
Raleigh.


Strag"gle, n.
The act of straggling. [R.] --Carlyle.

Synonyms: depart, digress, sidetrack, sprawl, stray

See Also: deviate, distribute, divert, group, grouping, spread

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