Meaning & use
white threads
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Meanings
phraseplural
Thin white strings or strands, especially of cotton, silk, or fungus, seen together.
Grammar: Used as a plural noun phrase; a single one is 'a white thread'.
Patterns
- a white thread
- white threads on something
- white threads of something
She pulled white threads from the hem of her coat.
White threads of mold spread across the old bread.
The spider hung on white threads between the branches.
phrasepluralmedical
In medicine, small white worm-like structures seen in stools or around the anus, usually pinworms.
Grammar: Usually appears in the plural in medical writing; a single worm is 'a white thread'.
Patterns
- white threads in the stool
- white threads around the anus
- pass white threads
The doctor asked whether the child had noticed white threads in the stool.
White threads around the anus are a common sign of pinworm infection.
phraseplural
Fine white lines or strands that appear on something, such as stretch marks or thin scars.
Grammar: Plural phrase; often followed by 'on' plus a body part or surface.
Patterns
- white threads on the skin
- white threads across something
After the injury, faint white threads were left on his arm.
White threads of scar tissue crossed her knee.
Common combinations
- white threads of mold
- White threads of mold had formed under the sink.
- pull white threads
- He pulled white threads from the torn sleeve.
- white threads in the stool
- The nurse looked for white threads in the stool sample.
- fine white threads
- Fine white threads covered the surface of the cheese.
Synonyms and how they differ
- strands
- More general: strands can be any color or material, while white threads specifically names thin white ones.
- filaments
- More technical and often used for very thin fibers in science; white threads is the everyday phrase.
- fibers
- Broader and often about material structure; white threads usually suggests separate visible strings.
Word family
- thread noun
- A single thin strand used in sewing or weaving.
- threadlike adjective
- Thin and long, like a thread.
Commonly confused: white threads or threads? white threads or yarn?
white threads vs threads
'Threads' alone just means strands, often of any color; adding 'white' describes their color or a specific medical sign.
white threads vs yarn
Yarn is thicker and used for knitting; white threads are thin and fine.
Practice
The lab report mentioned 'white threads' in the sample. What does this most likely mean?
Choose one answer.
'White threads' refers to thin white strands or worm-like structures visible in a sample; the other options describe different objects that would not be called threads.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “white threads”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.