string along
Definition
Verb (phrasal verb): 1. To accompany someone, often without a specific plan or commitment, or to follow someone's lead temporarily. This meaning focuses on the physical act of moving together with someone or something. 2. To deceive someone by giving false hope or promises, often to keep them in a state of uncertainty or to use them for one's own purposes. This is a common idiomatic meaning.
Usage
- The primary meaning involves accompanying or following.
- The secondary, more figurative meaning involves deception or manipulation.
- It is a separable phrasal verb (e.g., "string someone along").
Examples
- Literal/Accompanying:
- I didn't have plans, so I decided to string along with my friends to the market.
- The puppy would string along behind the children wherever they went.
- Figurative/Deceptive:
- He's been stringing her along for years with promises of marriage.
- Don't string me along; just tell me if the job is mine or not.
- The company strung the investors along with optimistic reports while hiding the losses.
Advanced Usage
- "to be strung along": To be the victim of this kind of deception.
- She felt like she had been strung along and her time had been wasted.
Variants and Related Words
- String (verb): To thread or arrange in a series. (e.g., ).
- Stringy (adjective): Resembling or consisting of strings; fibrous.
Synonyms
- Accompany: To go with someone.
- Tag along: To follow someone, especially without being invited.
- Lead on: To deceive someone into believing something that is not true.
- Dangle a carrot (before someone): To offer a tempting but often illusory reward.
Related Phrasal Verbs
- String together: To combine words or ideas to form a sequence.
- He can barely string together a coherent sentence when he's nervous.
- String out: To prolong or extend something.
- They strung out the negotiations for months.
Related Idioms
- On a string: Under one's complete control or influence.
- She has him on a string; he'll do anything she asks.
- Pull strings: To use one's influence to get something done.
- His father pulled some strings to get him the interview.
Verb
-
move or come along
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