wire

Noun

1. (uncountable) Metal formed into a thin, even thread, now usually by being drawn through a hole in a steel die.
2. (countable, uncountable) A piece of such material; a thread or slender rod of metal, a cable.
3. (countable, uncountable) A metal conductor that carries electricity.
4. (countable, uncountable) A fence made of usually barbed wire.
5. (countable, uncountable) A finish line of a racetrack.
6. (countable, informal, uncountable) A telecommunication wire or cable.
7. (broadly, countable, uncountable) An electric telegraph; a telegram.
8. (countable, slang, uncountable) A hidden listening device on the person of an undercover operative for the purposes of obtaining incriminating spoken evidence.
9. (countable, informal, uncountable) A deadline or critical endpoint.
10. (countable, uncountable) A wire strung with beads and hung horizontally above or near the table which is used to keep score.
11. (countable, plural-normally, uncountable) Any of the system of wires used to operate the puppets in a puppet show; hence, the network of hidden influences controlling the action of a person or organization; strings.
12. (archaic, countable, uncountable) A pickpocket, especially one who targets women.
13. (countable, slang, uncountable) A covert signal sent between people cheating in a card game.
14. (Scotland, countable, uncountable) A knitting needle.
15. (countable, uncountable) The slender shaft of the plumage of certain birds.
16. (abbreviation, alt-of, clipping, countable, informal, uncountable) Clipping of wire service and/or newswire.

Verb

1. To fasten with wire, especially with reference to wine bottles, corks, or fencing.
2. To string on a wire.
3. To equip with wires for use with electricity.
4. To connect, embed, incorporate, or include (something) into (something else) by or as if by wires:
5. To connect, embed, incorporate, or include (something) into (something else) by or as if by wires:
6. To connect, embed, incorporate, or include (something) into (something else) by or as if by wires:
7. (figuratively, passive, usually) To set or predetermine (someone's personality or behaviour, or an organization's culture) in a particular way.
8. To send a message or monetary funds to another person through a telecommunications system, formerly predominantly by telegraph.
9. (slang) To make someone tense or psyched up. See also adjective wired.
10. (slang) To install eavesdropping equipment.
11. To snare by means of a wire or wires.
12. (transitive) To place (a ball) so that the wire of a wicket prevents a successful shot.

Pronounced as (IPA)

/waɪə(ɹ)/

Etymology

Inherited from Middle English: wir

Inherited from Old English: wīr

In summary

From Middle English wir, wyr, from Old English wīr (“wire, metal thread, wire-ornament”), from Proto-Germanic *wīraz (“wire”), from Proto-Indo-European *weh₁iros (“a twist, thread, cord, wire”), from *weh₁y- (“to turn, twist, weave, plait”).

Synonyms

cable

telegraph

telegram

thread

🧵

line

string

🪢

rope

🪢

conducting wire

electric wire

cord

electrify

metal wire

cablegram

chain

conductor

send a telegram

band

beam

flash

lead

vine

wiring

strand

pin on

iron wire

guide line

hair

hang

hang up

iron

medium

message

metallic

nail

needle

network

power

power line

ray

reeve

row

shoestring

startle

steel wire

suspend

tape

telephone call

tinsel

transmitter

traverse

Translations

Draht

fil

🧶

alambre

draad

🧵

filo

🧵

fil de fer

drut

arame

filo metallico

filferro

σύρμα

télégramme

metaaldraad

fio

🧵

cavo

Sentences

Give me that call on Patrick's wire !

My Wacom tablet has a dodgy wire .