Wire
noun
1.
a slender, stringlike piece or filament of relatively rigid or flexible metal, usually circular in section, manufactured in a great variety of diameters and metals depending on its application.
2.
such pieces as a material.
3.
a length of such material, consisting either of a single filament or of several filaments woven or twisted together and usually insulated with a dielectric material, used as a conductor of electricity.
4.
a cross wire or a cross hair.
5.
a barbed-wire fence.
6.
a long wire or cable used in cable, telegraph, or telephone systems.
7.
Nautical. a wire rope.
8.
Informal.
a telegram.
the telegraphic system:
to send a message by wire.
9.
wires, a system of wires by which puppets are moved.
10.
a metallic string of a musical instrument.
11.
Underworld Slang. the member of a pickpocket team who picks the victim’s pocket.
Compare stall2 (def 5).
12.
Horse Racing. a wire stretched across and above the track at the finish line, under which the horses pass.
13.
Ornithology. one of the extremely long, slender, wirelike filaments or shafts of the plumage of various birds.
14.
a metal device for snaring rabbits and other small game.
15.
Papermaking. the woven wire mesh over which the wet pulp is spread in a papermaking machine.
16.
the wire, the telephone:
There’s someone on the wire for you.
adjective
17.
made of wire; consisting of or constructed with wires.
18.
resembling wire; wirelike.
verb (used with object), wired, wiring.
19.
to furnish with wires.
20.
to install an electric system of wiring in, as for lighting.
21.
to fasten or bind with wire:
He wired the halves together.
22.
to put on a wire, as beads.
23.
to send by telegraph, as a message:
Please wire the money at once.
24.
to send a telegraphic message to:
She wired him to come at once.
25.
to snare by means of a wire.
26.
to equip with a hidden electronic device, as an eavesdropping device or an explosive.
27.
to connect (a receiver, area, or building) to a television cable and other equipment so that cable television programs may be received.
28.
Informal. to be closely connected or involved with:
a law firm wired into political circles.
29.
Informal. to prepare, equip, fix, or arrange to suit needs or goals:
The sales force was wired for an all-out effort.
30.
Croquet. to block (a ball) by placing it behind the wire of an arch.
verb (used without object), wired, wiring.
31.
to send a telegraphic message; telegraph:
Don’t write; wire.
Idioms
32.
down to the wire, to the very last moment or the very end, as in a race or competition:
The candidates campaigned down to the wire.
33.
pull wires, Informal. to use one’s position or influence to obtain a desired result:
to pull wires to get someone a job.
34.
under the wire, just within the limit or deadline; scarcely; barely:
to get an application in under the wire.
noun
1.
a slender flexible strand or rod of metal
2.
a cable consisting of several metal strands twisted together
3.
a flexible metallic conductor, esp one made of copper, usually insulated, and used to carry electric current in a circuit
4.
(modifier) of, relating to, or made of wire: a wire fence, a wire stripper
5.
anything made of wire, such as wire netting, a barbed wire fence, etc
6.
a long continuous wire or cable connecting points in a telephone or telegraph system
7.
(old-fashioned)
an informal name for telegram, telegraph
the wire, an informal name for telephone
8.
a metallic string on a guitar, piano, etc
9.
(horse racing, mainly US & Canadian) the finishing line on a racecourse
10.
a wire-gauze screen upon which pulp is spread to form paper during the manufacturing process
11.
anything resembling a wire, such as a hair
12.
a snare made of wire for rabbits and similar animals
13.
(informal) to the wire, down to the wire, right up to the last moment
14.
(informal, mainly US & Canadian) get in under the wire, to accomplish something with little time to spare
15.
(informal) get one’s wires crossed, to misunderstand
16.
(mainly US & Canadian) pull wires, to exert influence behind the scenes, esp through personal connections; pull strings
17.
take it to the wire, to compete to the bitter end to win a competition or title
verb (mainly transitive)
18.
(also intransitive) to send a telegram to (a person or place)
19.
to send (news, a message, etc) by telegraph
20.
to equip (an electrical system, circuit, or component) with wires
21.
to fasten or furnish with wire
22.
(often foll by up) to provide (an area) with fibre optic cabling to receive cable television
23.
to string (beads, etc) on wire
24.
(croquet) to leave (a player’s ball) so that a hoop or peg lies between it and the other balls
25.
to snare with wire
26.
(informal) wire in, to set about (something, esp food) with enthusiasm
wipe the slate clean
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