Forms: 4–5 stroppe, 5–6 strope, 1, 8– strop. [OE. strop (once only) = (M)Du., (M)LG. strop, OHG. strupf masc. (a derivative of the same meaning is MHG., mod.G. strüpfe fem., LG. strippe: see STRIP sb.2), prob. a WGer. adoption of L. struppus, stroppus, strap, band (? a. Gr. στρόφος), whence OF. estrope (mod.F. estrope, étrope), Pr. estrop-s, Catal. estrop, Pg. estropo rowlock-strap, It. stroppa strap, band.
In the 17th c. the dial. form STRAP sb. appears beside the original form; subsequently it appears in all senses, and in some of them is now the usual form.]
† 1. A band, thong; a loop or noose of leather, etc. Obs. (Cf. STRAP sb. 1.)
In quot. c. 1050, a thong or line for lashing an oar to a thole-pin.
c. 1050. Suppl. Ælfric’s Voc., in Wr.-Wülcker, 181/42. Struppus, strop, uel arwiððe.
1481. Caxton, Reynard (Arb.), 33. Bynde the corde faste to the lynde, and make a rydyng knotte or a strope.
15[?]. Ld. Fergus’ Gaist, 83, in Bannatyne MS. (Hunter. Club), I. 326. And it wald play and hop, Abowt the heid ane stre strop.
1552. Elyot’s Dict., Amentum, a thonge, or that which is bounden to the middes of a darte or iavelyn wherwith it is throwen, a strope or a loupe.
1723. Pres. St. Russia, II. 378. A Strop of Leather tied about the Beast’s Head like a Halter.
† b. Surg. A band used in setting a fractured limb. (Cf. STRAP sb. 7 a.) Obs.
1741. Ettrick, Mach. for reducing Fractures of Thigh, in Phil. Trans., XLI. 565. The Leg is suspended by Bands, one of which is placed at the Ancle, from the sides of which pass Two Strops, to join the inferior Knee-band.
2. A ring or band of hide or of rope with its ends spliced together, used upon a mast, yard, rope, etc., as a fastening or as a purchase for tackle; esp. a band of rope, iron or chain fastened round a pulley or block. Chiefly Naut. (Cf. STRAP sb. 2.)
1357. in Pipe Roll 32 Edw. III., m. 34/2. j. poleancre rope cum le stroppe.
1409. Acc. Exch. K. R., 44/11 (3) m 3. In .xxij. lb. et di. de cordis … expenditis in factura del stroppes infra bargiam.
1417. in For. Acc. 8 Hen. V., G/1. ij Bowlynes j Stroppe … j Tooppe.
1485. Naval Acc. Hen. VII. (1896), 36. Poleis with Stroppes … iiij. Ibid., 38. Stroppes of Russewale, ij.
1744. J. Philips, Jrnl. Exped. Anson, 139. We also had one of the Strops of our Bobstay broke.
1769. Falconer, Dict. Marine (1780), Strop, a piece of rope spliced into a circular wreath, and used to surround the body of a block; so that the latter may be hung to any particular station about the masts, yards, or rigging…. Strops are also used occasionally to fasten upon any large rope, for the purpose of hooking a tackle to the eye, or double part of the strop.
1789. J. Wheatley, in Trans. Soc. Arts, VII. 177. The line was fixed [to the harpoon] by a strop, made of foreganger, our wire-shackles being all broke.
1846. A. Young, Naut. Dict., 329. Any short piece of rope, with its ends spliced together, gets the name of a strop. Such strops are used for various purposes, as, for hooking a tackle to.
1860. G. S. Nares, Naval Cadet’s Guide, 27. A single strop with a thimble seized in.
1875. Clark Russell, Wreck of Grosvenor, xvii. Clapping on strops to the collar of the mainstay.
1883. Man. Seamanship for Boys, 32. Q. What are masthead pendants? A. Strops or short pieces of rope, fitted … upon the heads of the lower masts, for applying tackles for staying the masts or setting up lower rigging.
1912. J. Masefield, in Engl. Rev., Oct., 340. The noisy half-deck rang with mirth, For two ship’s boys were putting on the strop.
b. (See quot.)
1875. Knight, Dict. Mech., Strop (Rope-making), a rope with an eye at each end, used in twisting strands.
3. A strip of leather (or of a special textile), or a strip of wood covered with leather or other suitable material, used for sharpening a razor; a razor-strop. (Cf. STRAP sb. 8 dial.)
1702. Post Man, 3–5 Feb., 2/1. Strops for setting Razors, Pen-knives, &c. upon.
1822. Scott, Nigel, viii. You are wanted more than a strop for a blunt razor.
1844. Dickens, Mart. Chuz., xxix. He happened to have been sharpening his razors,… a huge strop dangled from the wall.
1887. F. Francis, Jr. Saddle & Mocassin, 64. Three various strops were necessary to put an edge on the razor that was to execute me.
† 4. A narrow band of metal; = STRAP sb. 9.
1573–4. in Swayne, Sarum Church-w. Acc. (1896), 122. Mendinge of the stropes of iij belles, xij d. Ibid. (1603–4), 152. Iron stroppes and bolts and kayes for the belles.
5. Comb., as strop-maker, strop-bound adj.
1736. Gentl. Mag., VI. 607/2. Soap-boilers, Razor-makers, Hone-makers, Strop-makers, &c.
1867. Smyth, Sailor’s Word-bk., Strop-bound block, a single block used in the clue of square-sails for the clue-lines to lead through.
