shoestring

The string or lace used to secure a shoe to the foot; a shoelace.US

• Your shoestring is untied.

An object that is long and thin, like a shoestring (sense 1).attributivefigurativelyoften

An object that is long and thin, like a shoestring (sense 1).; A long, narrow cut of a food; a julienne.attributivefigurativelyoften

• shoestring French fries

Chiefly in on a shoestring: very little money; a tight budget.attributivefigurativelyoften

• He was able to organize the event on a shoestring.

Of a catch or tackle: made near the ground, close to a player's shoes.USnot-comparable

To tackle (a player) using a shoestring tackle (“one made near the ground, close to a player's shoes”).transitive

To catch (a ball) using a shoestring catch (“one made near the ground, close to a player's shoes”).transitive

• We didn't score in our half of the eighth, but it was only because Ernie's line drive was shoestringed by the Giant left fielder, with Rusty Howarth on second.