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wire

wire

606 1.0
A thin metal strand used to carry electricity or to fasten things
  • noun
  • /waɪər/
: alambre
  • Cables 3,577 feet long were laid wire by wire to support the Brooklyn Bridge.
  • copper wire
  • barbed wire
  • a wire fence

There's this spectral barbed wire curled around them, right?

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Examples

  • All right, time to strip some wire and start connecting.

  • Now all that remains is to run speaker wire under here.

  • So can you move this little wire along here to three?

  • We'll just put this wire here and then there you go.

  • Electrons in the wire all move to the right.

  • And in this instance, our wire was acting as part of that pathway.

  • The other side is shielded by a wire that is connected to the ground.

    Academic text (1999)
  • Students have open access to motors, wire, electrical tape, and friction tape.

    Academic text (2008)
  • Strong wire for climbing.

  • The technician used a thin copper wire to connect the light fixture to the power source.

Synonyms

line
vswire
663 1.1

A long thin rope or wire used to carry things

is specifically a thin metal strand used for electricity and fastening
cable
vswire
  • Specialized
267 2.4

A thick strong wire that carries electricity or signals

is a thinner metal strand meant for lighter tasks and fastening
cord
vswire
  • US
91 2.0

A thin insulated wire that carries electricity to appliances

is a bare metal strand used in many tasks beyond appliances
lead
vswire
  • Specialized
22 6.7

A short wire used to connect electrical parts

is a long thin metal strand used for fastening or conducting electricity
wireline
vswire
  • Specialized
1 7.2

A cable that carries data or phone signals

is a general thin metal strand used for electricity or binding
conducting wire
vswire
  • Specialized
1 3.4

A thin metal line that carries electricity from one place to another

is a thin flexible metal strand used for many purposes
twire
vswire
  • Archaic
9.9

A thin metal wire used to tie or hold things together

is a thin metal strand used both for fastening and for electricity

Idioms

down to the wire
  • Informal
21 7.0

Not decided until the very last moment before a deadline

5 5.9

Reach a point where the result is not decided until the last moment

To continue until the last possible moment while the result is not known

At the last moment before time runs out

Compounds

51 3.4

Wire with sharp points used to stop people or animals from crossing

wire service
  • Literature
14 3.9

A company that collects news and sends it to newspapers or TV stations

11 6.1

A low wire that makes a trap, alarm, or camera go off when someone walks into it

9 3.4

A light, flexible wire mesh with small six-sided holes used to make fences for chickens and gardens

9 6.6

A tight rope high above the ground that acrobats walk on

8 2.6

A hand tool with two handles and sharp blades for cutting wire

A thin metal line that carries phone calls

live wire
  • Specialized
6 4.1

A wire that is carrying electric current and is dangerous to touch

piano wire
  • Specialized
4 5.6

A thin strong steel wire used for piano strings and to make springs

live wire
  • Informal
3 4.6

A person who is very lively and full of energy

telegraph wire
  • Archaic
2 4.8

A wire that carries messages or signals over long distances

baling wire
  • Specialized
2 4.5

A strong wire used to tie bales of hay or cotton

wire recorder
  • Archaic
1 9.8

An old machine that saves sound on thin metal wire and plays it back

guy wire
  • Specialized
1 6.3

A strong cable that holds things like a pole or tent by attaching it to the ground

1 4.6

A pad of fine steel fibers used to clean and smooth metal and other hard surfaces

trip wire
  • Jargon
1 8.4

A small military force placed to make other forces respond if it is attacked

A hand tool that removes the covering from electric wires

wire glass
  • Specialized
1 5.2

Glass with wire mesh inside that holds pieces if it breaks

wire cloth
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A woven metal mesh used for filters or screens

word on the wire
  • Informal
1 8.0

News people share that is not official, often as a rumor

wire gage
  • Specialized
1 6.9

A small tool for measuring how thick a wire is

wire gauge
  • Specialized
1 4.3

A tool for measuring the thickness of wire

A small dog with rough, stiff hair

conducting wire
  • Specialized
1 3.4

A thin metal line that carries electricity from one place to another

wire grass
  • Australian
1 8.2

A coarse one-year grass that has long thin flower spikes and often grows as a weed

wire-puller
  • Offensive
1 9.9

A person who secretly controls others to get what they want

cross wire
  • Specialized
1 7.7

Thin crossed lines in devices like a telescope or microscope that help you aim

1 7.2

A hardy North American grass that has stiff stems and pale brown leaves in autumn

wire printer
  • Archaic
1 4.4

A printer that makes letters from dots by striking paper with thin metal wires

A medium-sized hunting dog that points to birds, with rough outer fur and a soft undercoat

Malheur wire lettuce
  • Specialized
9.9

A rare flowering plant from Oregon that looks like mustard and is at risk

5.2

A machine that prints letters and numbers as small dots using thin wires that hit an ink ribbon

wire-guided torpedo
  • Specialized
8.6

An underwater weapon that moves by itself and is steered by a wire from the ship that fired it

A small energetic dog with rough, wiry fur and a bushy face

How Thick

cable
  • Specialized
267 2.4
bar
658 1.0
rod
229 2.1
wire
606 1.0
filament
  • Specialized
7 5.8

Surface Forms

wire singular
wires plural

Etymology

Wire comes from an old English word that meant 'thread' or 'string', so think of a thin metal thread that can carry electricity, fasten things, or make fences.