strap

S1T1R1A1P3
Australia, Canada, US, UK/stɹæp/British, Northern England, Southern, Standard/stɹap/Scotland, Wales/stɾap/New Zealand/stɹɛp/

noun

A long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like.

Opposite
CommonScrabble 7

Meanings

nounstrap (countable and uncountable, plural straps)

plural straps · alternative strop · alternative strope

  1. countableuncountableA long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like.

    The patter of feet, and clatter of strap and swivel, seemed to swell into a bewildering din, but they were almost upon the fielato offices, where the carretera entered the town, before a rifle flashed.

    1907 January, Harold Bindloss, chapter 7, in The Dust of Conflict, 1st Canadian edition, Toronto, Ont.: McLeod & Allen, →OCLC
    1. countableuncountableA strap worn on the shoulder.
  2. countableuncountableA strip of thick leather used in flogging.

    a lively cobbler, that […] had scarce passed a day in his life without giving her [his wife] the discipline of the strap.

    1712 October 12 (Gregorian calendar), [Joseph Addison; Richard Steele et al.], “WEDNESDAY, October 2, 1712”, in The Spectator, number 499; republished in Alexander Chalmers, editor, The Spectator; a New Edition, […], volume V, New York, N.Y.: D[aniel] Appleton & Company, 1853, →OCLC, page 455
  3. countableuncountableSomething made of such a strip, or of a part of one, or a combination of two or more for a particular use.
  4. countableuncountableA piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, used to hone the sharpened edge of a razor; a strop.
  5. A narrow strip of anything, as of iron or brass.
    1. countableuncountablemachinerybusinessA band, plate, or loop of metal for clasping and holding timbers or parts of a machine.
    2. countableuncountablenauticalA piece of rope or metal passing around a block and used for fastening it to anything.
  6. countableuncountablebiologyThe flat part of the corolla in ligulate florets, as those of the white circle in the daisy.
  7. countableuncountablebiologyThe leaf, exclusive of its sheath, in some grasses.
  8. countableslanguncountableA gun, normally a personal firearm such as a pistol or machine pistol.

    Hide the straps.

    2018, Ryan Coogler, Joe Robert Cole, 00:02:30 from the start, in Black Panther, spoken by N'Jobu (Sterling K. Brown), Burbank, California: Marvel Studios
    1 more example

    Had to pull a strap on a fool named Louis the Third / 'Cause I'm getting chased by the ghetto bird

    1993 December 7, Ice Cube, “Ghetto Bird”, in Lethal Injection, track 3
  9. archaicslanguncountableCredit offered to a customer, especially for alcoholic drink.
  10. countableslanguncountableA strap-on.

    One of the side effects of strap-on sex is that sore pelvic bone feeling you get after pounding into a hungry body. Silicone dildos might feel amazing inside, but they have a tendency to hit and rub against the most delicate parts of the person wearing the strap.

    2022 June 29, Archie Bongiovanni, “The Best Sex Toys For Trans Folks and Non-Binary Horndogs”, in Vice Media, archived from the original on 29 Jun 2022
    2 more examples

    After that, I graduated up to my first serious queer relationship where I learned the ropes. The first partner who strapped me made it everything I had wished for. She was thoughtful, patient, and would take her cues from how I responded. It was the complete opposite of my first sexual experience which was deeply disappointing and harmful. She bought a new strap just for us — a purple one with a Black harness. She had trouble putting it on, and it was important to her that she didn’t get dressed in front of me. As she struggled in the bathroom with the door open I laughed. “Don’t look!” she screamed as I heard her adorably grunt. She refused my giggly filled offer of help but that little moment beautifully eased the mood for my first time, releasing the tension I felt at being awkward and so new to strap-on sex, especially with a partner who had over a decade more experience than me.

    2021 November 8, Addie Tsai, AKALAC, “To Strap Or Not To Strap — That Is The Question”, in Autostraddle, archived from the original on 08 Nov 2021, Lesbian Sex

    18. A strap-on harness fit for a queen because of its faux leather design and plush lining for comfortable wear. This easy-to-adjust harness fits hips up to 64 inches wide and offers a crotchless and open-back style, so you can let your creativity run wild. The harness also includes three O-rings in different sizes to support a variety of dildo bases. Peepshow Toys is an immigrant-owned sex toy boutique that promotes sex-positivity and education by only selling products created with body-safe and non-toxic materials. Promising review: "This strap is so stunning✨ Super high quality, and durable!! I’m a bigger girl, and the size it was pre-measured at was great with plenty of space for expansion. Highly recommend in the red color!!" —Cleo

    2022 March 26, Negesti Kaudo, quoting Cleo, “28 Strap-On Dildos And Harnesses Because "Woo, You A Pegga"”, in BuzzFeed, archived from the original on 26 Mar 2022, Sex Toys
  11. countableuncountablejournalismSynonym of strapline.

    Synonyms: strapline

  12. countableslanguncountablewith definite articlegovernmentA championship belt, or by extension, the title.

    During 2002, Triple H began this run of title defences of the Big Gold Belt. He'd basically been given the strap earlier in the month and there was a feeling he didn't deserve it.

    2015, Arnold Furious, “Unforgiven 2002”, in The Complete WWE Guide Volume #6, →ISBN, page 60
    2 more examples

    David Arquette was given the belt because he's a celebrity. Period. I wasn't that upset about it because even the on-air product treated it as laughable. It was a "fluke" that Arquette managed to grab the strap, and he held it for less than a week. But there was no point in it....that I do agree with.

    2001 January 31, Greg Stinson, “WWF fans actually know the WWF sucks”, in rec.sport.pro-wrestling (Usenet), message-ID <KTUd6.209692$iy3.50200104@news1.rdc1.tn.home.com>

    When people like me were deserting the WWE during the championship reign of JBL, "The Wrestling God", Vince didn't take the strap off of him. He's certainly not going to do anything because of this little piffle.

    2017 April 11, Jason Todd!!!, “if multiple people are coming forth saying jbl harassed them, why doesn't vince fire his ass?”, in rec.sport.pro-wrestling (Usenet), message-ID <5ad20526-36c9-4dac-89ba-df011e3d48f9@googlegroups.com>
  13. countableuncountablebusinessAn investment strategy involving simultaneous trade with one put and two call options on the same security at the same strike price, similar to but more bullish than a straddle.
verbstrap (third-person singular simple present straps, present participle strapping, simple past and past participle strapped)

present singular third person straps · participle present strapping · participle past strapped · past strapped · alternative strop · alternative strope

  1. transitiveTo beat or chastise with a strap; to whip, to lash.
  2. transitiveTo fasten or bind with a strap.

    I strapped my son into the back seat.

    1 more example

    Can't breathe right now / You believe me, don't you? Please believe what I just said / See, The Dead ain't touring and this wasn't all in my head / See, they took me by the hand and invited me right in / Then they showed me something, I don't even know where to begin / Strapped down to my bed, feet cold and eyes red / I'm out of my head, am I alive, am I dead? / Can't remember what they said

    2006, “Rosetta Stoned”, in 10,000 Days (Progressive Metal), performed by Tool
  3. transitiveTo sharpen by rubbing on a strap; to strop.

    to strap a razor

  4. transitiveTo slap or stroke the muscled areas of a horse with a cloth or pad, a form of massage meant to improve muscle tone.

Synonyms & antonyms

nounSynonym of strapline.

Similar

More synonyms by meaning

nouna band that goes over the shoulder and supports a garment or bag

Broader

verbtie with a strap

Opposite
Broader

verbbeat severely with a whip or rod

Synonym sets from Open English WordNet, CC BY 4.0.

Origin

  1. Proto-Indo-European*strebʰ-
  2. Ancient Greekστρόφος“rope”
  3. Latinstroppus
  4. Old Frenchestrope“strap, loop on a harness”
  5. Old Englishstrop
  6. Middle Englishstrope
  7. Englishstrap

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”).

Full word history & related roots →

Translations

Ancient Greek ἱμάς
  • ἱμάς (himás)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Arabic رِبَاط, حِزَام
  • رِبَاط (ribāṭ)a shoulder strap
  • حِزَام (ḥizām)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Bulgarian каиш, пагон
  • каиш (kaiš)a piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop
  • пагон (pagon)a shoulder strap
  • ремък (remăk)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • ивица (ivica)a narrow strip of anything, as of iron or brass
  • лента (lenta)a narrow strip of anything, as of iron or brass
Catalan corretja
  • corretjaa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Chinese Mandarin 肩章
  • 肩章 (jiānzhāng)a shoulder strap
Czech obtahovací řemen, ramínko
  • obtahovací řemena piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop
  • ramínkoa shoulder strap
  • tráka shoulder strap
  • páseka long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • řemena long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • popruha long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Danish rem
  • rema long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Dutch riem, riem
  • riemspecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • riema long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Esperanto rimeno
  • rimenoa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Finnish remmi, vitsa
  • remmispecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • vitsaspecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • vyöspecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • hihnasomething made of such a strip, or of a part of one, or a combination of two or more for a particular use
  • remmisomething made of such a strip, or of a part of one, or a combination of two or more for a particular use
  • hiaisina piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop
  • hiomahihnaa piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop
  • sinkiläcarpentry: a band, plate, or loop of metal for clasping and holding timbers or parts of a machine.
  • olkahihnaa shoulder strap
  • olkaremmia shoulder strap
  • hihnaa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • remmia long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • antaa remmiäbeat or chastise with a strap; to whip, to lash
  • kiinnittää hihnallafasten or bind with a strap
  • kiinnittää remmilläfasten or bind with a strap
  • teroittaasharpen by rubbing on a strap, or strop; as, to strap a razor
French bandoulière, sangle
  • bandoulièrea shoulder strap
  • sanglea long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • courroiea long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • lanièrea long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
German Streichriemen, Achselklappe
  • Streichriemena piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop
  • Achselklappea shoulder strap
  • Schulterklappe (epaulette)a shoulder strap
  • Schultergurta shoulder strap
  • Trageriemena shoulder strap
  • Riemena long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Greek λουρί, λουρί
  • λουρί (lourí)specifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • λουρί (lourí)a piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop
  • ιμάντας (imántas)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • λουρί (lourí)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • λουρίδα (lourída)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Hindi बद्धी, पट्टा
  • बद्धी (baddhī)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • पट्टा (paṭṭā)a narrow strip of anything, as of iron or brass
Hungarian korbács, fenőszíj
  • korbácsspecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • fenőszíja piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop
  • szíja long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • korbácsolbeat or chastise with a strap; to whip, to lash
  • megkorbácsolbeat or chastise with a strap; to whip, to lash
  • odaszijazfasten or bind with a strap
  • fensharpen by rubbing on a strap, or strop; as, to strap a razor
  • megfensharpen by rubbing on a strap, or strop; as, to strap a razor
Irish beilt, beilt
  • beiltspecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • beilta long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Italian cinghia, frusta
  • cinghiaspecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • frustaspecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • coramellaa piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop
  • fascettacarpentry: a band, plate, or loop of metal for clasping and holding timbers or parts of a machine.
  • reggettacarpentry: a band, plate, or loop of metal for clasping and holding timbers or parts of a machine.
  • piattinacarpentry: a band, plate, or loop of metal for clasping and holding timbers or parts of a machine.
  • moiettacarpentry: a band, plate, or loop of metal for clasping and holding timbers or parts of a machine.
  • bandolieraa shoulder strap
  • spallinaa shoulder strap
  • bretellaa shoulder strap
  • cinghiaa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • cinturinoa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • frustarebeat or chastise with a strap; to whip, to lash
  • affastellarefasten or bind with a strap
  • affilaresharpen by rubbing on a strap, or strop; as, to strap a razor
Japanese 肩章
  • 肩章 (kenshō)a shoulder strap
Latin lōrum, lōrum
  • lōrumspecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • lōruma long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • āmentuma long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Malay belibir
  • belibira long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Māori tarapu, tarapu
  • tarapuspecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • tarapua piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop
  • kahakia shoulder strap
  • tauekia shoulder strap
  • kawerapaa shoulder strap
  • tarapua long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • kawerapaa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • tarapubeat or chastise with a strap; to whip, to lash
Norwegian rem
  • rema long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Persian نوار, تسمه
  • نوار (navâr)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • تسمه (tasme)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Polish ramiączko, pasek
  • ramiączkoa shoulder strap
  • paseka long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Portuguese cinta, tira(s)
  • cintaspecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • tira(s)something made of such a strip, or of a part of one, or a combination of two or more for a particular use
  • barbicachosomething made of such a strip, or of a part of one, or a combination of two or more for a particular use
  • limaa piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop
  • tiracarpentry: a band, plate, or loop of metal for clasping and holding timbers or parts of a machine.
  • faixaa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • tiraa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • lingotea narrow strip of anything, as of iron or brass
Russian пого́н, брете́лька
  • пого́н (pogón)a shoulder strap
  • брете́лька (bretɛ́lʹka)a shoulder strap
  • реме́нь (reménʹ)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • ремешо́к (remešók)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • ля́мка (ljámka)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • поло́ска (polóska)a narrow strip of anything, as of iron or brass
Scottish Gaelic iall, iall
  • iallspecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • ialla piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop
  • ialla long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Slovak remeň
  • remeňa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Spanish correa, cincha
  • correaa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • cinchaa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • cinchoa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • tirantea long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • baticolaa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • tiracola long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • coyundaa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • cornala long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • cornila long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • barzóna long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • trilladeraa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • tiretaa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • flejarfasten or bind with a strap
  • acoyundarfasten or bind with a strap
Swedish rem, bälte
  • remspecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • bältespecifically, a strip of thick leather used in flogging
  • strigela piece of leather, or strip of wood covered with a suitable material, for sharpening a razor; a strop
  • axelbanda shoulder strap
  • rema long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
  • banda narrow strip of anything, as of iron or brass
  • remsaa narrow strip of anything, as of iron or brass
Turkish kayış
  • kayışa long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like
Yiddish רימען
  • רימען (rimen)a long, narrow, pliable strip of leather, cloth, or the like

Rhymes & wordplay

Rhymes with strap

All rhymes →

Anagrams

Cite this entry
APA

strap. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 2, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strap

MLA

“strap.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strap. Accessed November 2, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “strap,” accessed November 2, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/strap.

Source: strap on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.