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straggling |
3 definitions found From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Straggle \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. From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) [web1913]: Straggling \Strag"gling\, a. & n. from {Straggle}, v. From WordNet r 1.6 [wn]: straggling adj : spreading out carelessly (as if wandering) in different directions; "sprawling handwriting"; "straggling branches"; "straggly hair" [syn: {sprawling}, {straggly}]
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