thread

Concise Oxford English Dictionary © 2008 Oxford University Press:
thread/θred/

▶noun

• 1 a long, thin strand of cotton, nylon, or other fibres used in sewing or weaving.

• 2 a long thin line.

• 3 (also screw thread) a helical ridge on the outside of a screw, bolt, etc. or on the inside of a cylindrical hole, to allow two parts to be screwed together.

• 4 a theme or characteristic running throughout a situation or piece of writing.

  ■ Computing a group of linked messages posted on the Internet that share a common theme.

  ■ Computing a programming structure or process formed by linking a number of separate elements or subroutines.

• 5 (threads) informal, chiefly N. Amer. clothes.

▶verb

• 1 pass a thread through (a needle).

  ■ pass (a thread) through something and into the required position for use.

  ■ put (beads or other objects) on a thread.

• 2 move or weave in and out of obstacles.

• 3 (usu. as adj. threaded) cut a screw thread in or on (a hole, screw, or other object).

– derivatives
threader noun,
thread-like adjective.

– origin OE thrǣd (n.), of Gmc origin.