vbl. sb. [-ING1.]
1. The action of the vb. STRING: a. in trans. senses.
1620. Bacon, Lett., 30 Aug. Lett. & Rem. (1734), 112. The stringing of the harp, nor the tuning of it will not serve, except it be well plaied on from time to time.
1655. in 12th Rep. Hist. MSS. Comm., App. V. 5. The polyphon is an instrument of so different a stringing and tuning that its impossible to play what is sett to it on any other hand instrument.
1862. Catal. Internat. Exhib., Brit., II. No. 3391, A new mode of stringing, adapted to instruments of all kinds.
1884. J. Marshall’s Tennis Cuts, 69. All these results have been caused by the change in the stringing of rackets [etc.].
1886. Symonds, Renaiss. It., Cath. React. (1898), VII. ix. 82. The stringing together of words and ideas in triplets.
1914. S. Gibson, Some Oxf. Libr., vi. 78. The stringing and restringing of books (for readers naturally seized the strings to remove books from the shelves) provided the Bodleian binders with much work.
b. in intr. senses.
1873. Bennett & ‘Cavendish,’ Billiards, 477. The choice of balls and order of play shall … be determined by stringing.
1883. E. Pennell-Elmhirst, Cream Leicestersh., 194. [The] party sail on … no tailing or stringing to-day, but the whole one compact and hurrying mass.
1892. Greener, Breech-Loader, 267. The great stringing of the charge is due to the heavy charge of explosive used. The average stringing in a properly loaded gun is about ten feet at forty yards.
2. concr. a. Strings collectively; † ornamentation of lace or fringe. Obs.
1722. Ramsay, Three Bonnets, II. 15. And where gat ye that braw blue stringing, That’s at your houghs and shuthers hinging?
1851–4. Tomlinson’s Cycl. Arts, II. 308/2. The stringing [in a pianoforte] was formerly much thinner than at present.
b. Material for the string-board of a staircase, or for string-courses on a building.
1833. Loudon, Encycl. Archit., § 239. 125. Moulded nosings to the steps to be housed (let in) into the close stringing, which is to be one and a quarter inch thick, sunk.
1858. Skyring, Builders’ Prices, 91. In all copings, stringings, pilasters, cornices, and other solid works, find the cube quantity of stone as it comes from the banker to the building.
c. Straight or curved inlaid lines in cabinet-work.
1812. MS. Letter. I have purchased some veneer, but cannot get any stringing.
1842. G. Francis, Dict. Arts.
1843. Holtzapffel, Turning, I. 86. Holly … is used … for the stringings or lines of cabinet-work. Ibid. (1846), II. 737. The stringings, or the straight and circular lines combined with pearl buhl work, are mostly of white metal.
3. Silk-dyeing. The operation of twisting the hanks of silk after dyeing, in order to separate the fibers and impart luster.
1885. Hummel, Dyeing Textile Fabrics, 55. Stringing or Glossing (Fr. chevillage).
4. Comb.: stringing course, a string-course; stringing-deal (see quot.); stringing-machine (see sense 3). † In Billiards: stringing-line, the baulk-line; stringing nail, each of two nails formerly used as ‘spots’ on the baulk-line; stringing spot, each of two ‘spots’ on the baulk-line.
1861. G. M. Musgrave, By-roads & Battle-Fl., 179. Handsome farmhouses, built up in red brick with stone facings, labellings, and *stringing courses.
1881. Raymond, Mining Gloss., *Stringing-deals, Eng. Thin planks, nailed to the inside of the curbs in a shaft, so as to suspend each curb from those above it.
1873. Bennett & ‘Cavendish,’ Billiards, 6. The players led from the centre of the *stringing-line or baulk, which occupied a quarter of the table, instead of about a fifth as at present.
1885. Hummel, Dyeing Textile Fabrics, 55. The *stringing machine.
1788. J. Beaufort, Hoyle’s Games Impr., 195. *Stringing-nail is that part of the table from whence the player strikes his ball at first setting off, and is generally marked with two brass nails.
1808. C. Jones, Hoyle’s Games Impr., 338. A red ball is to be placed … between the stringing nails or spots.
1839. Kentfield, Billiards, 29. The player, in stringing for the lead,… must not place his ball beyond the *stringing spots.
