Definition of (a) wire in English English dictionary
- American wire gauge
- A standard for the measurement of the diameter of wire, especially of non-ferrous, electrically conducting wire
- French wire
- Fine wire of silver or other metal wound into a flexible coil, used for finishing beaded jewelry
- barbed wire
- twisted strands of steel wire, often coated with zinc, having barbs evenly spaced along them; used to construct agricultural and military fences
- cheese wire
- A wire which is sufficiently strong, yet fine enough to cut through cheese easily. Normally with either a wooden handle at each end, or fixed to a board at one end, with a wooden handle at the other
- chicken wire
- a type of such material, differentiated by material, coating, wire thickness, width, and mesh size
- chicken wire
- a mesh of wire, usually galvanized, with a hexagonal pattern, generally used for making fences, especially for enclosures for small farm animals and pets
You'll recall that normally any old hen had sense enough not to run or fly into a chicken wire fence, but the same old hen at the sight of a hawk would lose all judgment about fences, and plunge headlong into it..
- conducting wire
- Any metal wire used to carry electricity over a short or long distance
- down to the wire
- At the very end of a process or project, especially one with a fast-approaching deadline
He was almost done with the paper, but tomorrow's due date meant it would be down to the wire.
- enameled wire
- Wire insulated with a thin baked-on varnish enamel, used in electric coils to allow the maximum number of turns in a given space
- guy-wire
- A metal guy rope used to stabilize a tall structure (such as a radio mast)
- hard-wire
- To make a pattern of behaviour automatic
- hard-wire
- To implement a feature in hardware rather than in software so that it cannot easily be changed
- hard-wire
- To connect components by means of permanent electrical wires
- hot-wire
- To start an automobile engine by circumventing the ignition key wiring
- live wire
- An electrical wire through which there is a flow of electrical current
Two boys got electrocuted when a live wire fell on the auto-rickshaw in which they were sitting.
- live wire
- An especially energetic, alert, or vivacious person
She was irresistible—a laughing, chattering live wire, never at a loss for a word.
- live-wire
- Alternative spelling of live wire
- magnesium wire
- wire made from an alloy of magnesium and other metals
- magnesium wire
- a thin magnesium ribbon
- page wire
- Wire that is knotted into rectangles to create a continuous mesh, a page wire fence, usually used to enclose animals like sheep, goats, or cows
- razor wire
- A form of securing wire similar to barbed wire, but with a series of short blades instead of barbs. Also, a length thereof
Don’t believe the lie of Guitar Hero III; it’s actually the fourth title in the series, the third being Rocks the 80s, which I haven’t played, but the day I fork out seventy bucks for an expansion pack is the day I swallow razor wire, pull the end out of my arse, and floss myself to death.
- trip over the wire
- To make a mistake
I tripped over the wire when modifying the source code of a computer program because the unusual code that I straightened out was intentionally put in place.
- under the wire
- At the last minute; before the deadline; barely on time; nearly late
Russians had heard rumors, and foreign correspondents had obtained confirmation, that the Dictator will soon drastically tighten up proverbially loose Bolshevik divorce laws. In a panic to get in under the wire, every Moscow mate who has recently thought of divorce was last week jamming the official bureaus.
- under the wire
- Across the finish line
Lying forward flattened along Sunfish's hard-muscled shoulders, Bud was gaining and gaining—one length, then two lengths as he shot under the wire, slowed and rode back to find a silent crowd watching him.
- wire
- To equip with wires for use with electricity
- wire
- A hidden listening device on the person of an undercover operative for the purposes of obtaining incriminating spoken evidence
- wire
- A piece of such material; a thread or slender rod of metal, a cable
- wire
- A deadline or critical endpoint
This election is going to go right to the wire.
- wire
- To fasten with wire, especially with reference to wine bottles, corks, or fencing
I could see him in his plane flying low over the river or a reservoir, dropping the club out with a chunk of lead wired to the shaft.
- wire
- To install eavesdropping equipment
We wired the suspect's house.
- wire
- A fence made of usually barbed wire
- wire
- To string on a wire
wire beads.
- wire
- A telecommunication wire or cable; hence, an electric telegraph; a telegram
- wire
- Metal formed into a thin, even thread, now usually by being drawn through a hole in a steel die
- wire
- To make someone tense or psyched-up
I'm never going to sleep – I'm completely wired from all that coffee.
- wire
- A metal conductor that carries electricity
- wire
- A finish line of a racetrack
- wire
- To send a message or a money value to another person through a telecommunications system, formerly predominately by telegraph
Urgent: please wire me another 100 pounds sterling.
- wire
- To add something into an electrical system by means of wiring; to incorporate or include something
I'll just wire your camera to the computer screen.
- wire
- A wire strung with beads and hung horizontally above or near the table which is used to keep score
- wire brush
- a brush whose bristles are made of wire; used as an abrasive and on masonry etc
- wire brushes
- plural form of wire brush
- wire cutters
- A hand tool resembling pliers, intended for cutting wires
- wire fox terrier
- A breed of fox terrier having a coarse coat with a dense, wiry texture
- wire fox terriers
- plural form of wire fox terrier
- wire fraud
- A class of felonies, providing for a separate and additional federal penalty for any crime of fraud involving the use of electronic communications methods
The mail fraud statute and its counterpart, the wire fraud statute, historically have been powerful instruments for prosecutors.
- wire fu
- Term for the special effects enhanced martial arts seen in movies, especially those where wires are used to suspend the actors in physically impossible positions
- wire gauze
- Finely interwoven wire, resembling gauze
- wire gauzes
- plural form of wire gauze
- wire netting
- a hexagonal network of interwoven wire used in fencing; chicken wire
- wire nettings
- plural form of wire netting
- wire recorder
- A device for analogue audio storage made magnetically onto fine steel or stainless steel wire, introduced commercially after World War II primarily for office dictation
- wire recorders
- plural form of wire recorder
- wire rope
- A strong cable consisting of twisted strands of wire, generally intended for supporting heavy loads
- wire speed
- The speed at which a wire moves through a machine
- wire speed
- The (maximum) rate at which data can flow through a cable
- wire speeds
- plural form of wire speed
- wire transfer
- A transfer of funds between banks by electronic means
- wire transfers
- plural form of wire transfer
- word on the wire
- The rumour or news going around on the Internet, in business, on the street, or in social circles
- zip-wire
- A pulley system attached to cable or wire, in turn attached to two sturdy objects on an incline, used for transportation or leisure
- wire
- {n} a metal drawn into small bars or threds
- long-wire antenna
- (Elektrik, Elektronik) An antenna that is a wavelength or longer at the operating frequency
- razor wire
- A sharp-edged wire used for fences and barriers
- wire drawer
- fig. A person who spins out a matter to extreme length or tenuousness
- wire drawing
- Draw out (metal) into wire
- wire transfer
- A wire transfer is a method of transferring funds from one entity to another. Wire transfers can be done by a simple bank account transfer, or by a transfer of cash at a cash office
