Merriam-Webster's Collegiate® Dictionary, 11th Edition
STRAND
I. noun
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English; akin to Old Norse strǫnd shore Date: before 12th century the land bordering a body of water ; shore , beach ,
II. verb
Date: 1621
transitive verb to run, drive, or cause to drift onto a strand ; run aground, to leave in a strange or an unfavorable place especially without funds or means to depart, to leave (a base runner) on base at the end of an inning in baseball, intransitive verb to become stranded,
III. noun
Etymology: Middle English stronde, strande
Date: 13th century
stream , sea ,
IV. noun
Etymology: Middle English strond
Date: 15th century
1. fibers or filaments twisted, plaited, or laid parallel to form a unit for further twisting or plaiting into yarn, thread, rope, or cordage, one of the wires twisted together or laid parallel to form a wire rope or cable, something (as a molecular chain) resembling a strand , an element (as a yarn or thread) of a woven or plaited material, an elongated or twisted and plaited body resembling a rope , one of the elements interwoven in a complex whole ,
V. transitive verb
Date: 1841
to break a strand of (a rope) accidentally,
2. to form (as a rope) from strands, to play out, twist, or arrange in a strand