Strips (noun) refers to long, narrow pieces torn or cut from a larger whole, often used in the plural for multiple such pieces or a strip of fabric, paper, or material. It can also describe a narrow, raised passage on a surface (a stripe). In everyday usage, it denotes multiple slender segments rather than a single strip. The term is common in crafts, textiles, and labeling contexts, where pieces are measured and described by their strips.
"The painter cut several strips of masking tape to outline the edges."
"She peeled off a few strips of wallpaper to reveal the wall below."
"The cereal comes in chocolate strips that you can snap apart."
"He wore striped ribbons as strips of fabric sewn along the edge of the blanket."
Strips comes from the plural of strip, which derives from the Old English stripian or strip of uncertain origin, related to stripian meaning to remove or peel. The term has Germanic roots and is connected to Latin stringere in the sense of pulling tight or drawing out, though the exact lineage is debated. Early uses referred to a long, narrow piece cut or torn from something. By Middle English, strip began to describe a long, narrow extend and by the modern era, strips are widely used to describe multiple narrow sections of cloth, tape, or paper. The sense of a narrow, elongated segment is consistent, with the plural form preserving the emphasis on multiple pieces. The word enters technical domains (textiles, computing, labeling) where standardized strip sizes are common, reinforcing its generic, versatile meaning across industries. First known usage traces back to English texts from the medieval period, evolving gradually into the modern sense of multiple slender elements. In contemporary usage, strips can refer to a variety of materials, including fabric strips, paper strips, tape strips, or even data strips in digital contexts, maintaining the core idea of slender, elongated pieces.
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Words that rhyme with "Strips"
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Strips is pronounced with a single syllable: /strɪps/. Start with a strong /s/ and /t/ blend, then the short /ɪ/ vowel as in 'sit', followed by the final /ps/ cluster where lips form /p/ before quickly releasing to /s/. Stress is on the only syllable. Mouth positions: lips lightly closed for /s/, tongue blade contacts alveolar ridge for /t/, then the /ɪ/ vowel sits mid-front with relaxed jaw; finish with /p/ releasing into /s/. You’ll hear a crisp 's' ending. Audio resources: consult a pronunciation video for a quick model.
Common errors: (1) Slurring /t/ and /s/ into a single /t s/ sequence or mispronouncing as 'strips' with a weak /t/, (2) voicing the final /z/ sound by mistake (pronouncing 'stripz'), (3) misplacing the /ɪ/ as a longer vowel like /iː/ or reducing it to a schwa in rapid speech. Corrections: ensure a clean alveolar stop /t/ before the /s/ with a quick release into the /ps/ cluster; keep the final /ps/ crisp without vocalizing as /z/; use /ɪ/ as a short, lax vowel; practice with minimal pairs such as strip vs strips vs stripes to feel the difference.
In US, UK, and AU accents, /str/ onset remains stable, but vowel length is short and rhoticity varies slightly. US: rhotic influence is minimal after /r/; though /r/ is not present here, US speakers maintain crisp /str/ onset and a shorter /ɪ/. UK: similar onset, but may have a marginally tenser /ɪ/ and crisper release of /t/. AU: vowel quality can be slightly broader; some speakers may have a more centralized /ɪ/. Overall, the main differences lie in vowel quality rather than consonant articulation.
The difficulty often lies in the consonant cluster /str/ at the start and the final /ps/ cluster. Keeping a clean /t/ release before /s/ without letting it blend into a shaky /s/ or a voiced ending can be tricky. The short /ɪ/ in a quick, stressed syllable requires precise tongue position and jaw tension to avoid reducing to /ə/ in rapid speech. For non-native speakers, coordinating the rapid /t/ release and the /ps/ sequence is a common challenge.
Is the final 'ps' cluster pronounced as an aspirated /p/ plus /s/ or as a single /ps/ sequence? Many speakers realize it as a quick /p/ release into /s/, effectively /-p s/ in rapid speech. There is no final vowel; the sequence ends with an /s/. Visualize a quick stop of air for /p/, then immediate sibilant /s/; avoid voicing on the /p/ and keep the lips released into /s/.
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