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Glite Dictionary
👩‍👦 Parental control 👗 Apron ties
apron string

apron string

3.6
A cord or tie on an apron that fastens it around the waist
  • noun
  • /ˈeɪprən strɪŋ/
translation icon : cinta de delantal
  • Maxine gasped from behind as she tried to retie the apron strings.

Examples

  • She pulled on her apron strings before starting to bake the cake.

  • He adjusted his apron strings tightly as he prepared for the cooking competition.

  • The chef tied her apron strings securely to avoid any accidents while chopping vegetables.

Synonyms

string
vsapron string
222 1.0

A thin cord used to tie or fasten things

is attached to a protective garment and used specifically to fasten at the waist
tie
vsapron string
107 1.0

A piece of string or ribbon used to fasten things together

is specific to fastening a protective garment by knotting around the waist
drawstring
vsapron string
7 3.7

A cord in clothing or a bag you pull to make the opening smaller

is tied on the outside to secure a protective garment around the waist

Surface Forms

apron string singular
apron strings plural

Morphology

apron + string

The literal constituents 'apron' (protective cloth) and 'string' (thin cord) do not directly convey the social meaning of continued dependence on one's mother; the phrase is a conventionalized metaphor (apron-strings) for maternal control that is culturally specific and not compositionally predictable. A B1 learner who knows the two words but has not encountered the idiom would be unlikely to infer the dependent/parental-control sense.

Etymology

Apron string is the cord used to tie a apron around the waist, the thin tie you knot to keep the apron in place.