Left in a difficult situation without help or means of escape; abandoned or stuck in an isolated place.
From Old Norse 'strond' meaning beach or shore, evolved through Middle English. Originally meant to be cast ashore or abandoned on a strand (beach).
The word preserves an old nautical disaster scenario—shipwrecks that left sailors stranded on foreign shores were dramatic events in literature and real life, which is why the word carries such weight for any situation where you're stuck without resources.
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