In the first case, everything between the and the is part of the string.

These can then be moved from one end of the string to the other.

There is no such thing as a piece of string with only one end.

I should think that a piece of string would do just as well.

He finally got hold of the string and pulled down.

I've thought of three strings that could maybe lead us back to the right man.

All of the strings seem to meet in a specific area.

The little dog, still on the end of its string, looked much as it did before.

There's only eight and what looks like a lot of empty string.

It always felt he only needed a ball of string to save everything.