wire

English Online Dictionary. What means wire‎? What does wire mean?

English

Etymology

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”).

Pronunciation

• (UK) IPA^(key): /waɪə(ɹ)/
• (US) enPR: wīʹər, wīr, IPA^(key): /ˈwaɪɚ/

• (Canada) IPA^(key): /waɪ(ə)ɹ/, /wʌɪ(ə)ɹ/
  • (Ontario) IPA^(key): [wäɪɚ], [wəɪɚ]
• Rhymes: -aɪə(ɹ)

Noun

wire (countable and uncountable, plural wires)

1. (uncountable) Metal formed into a thin, even thread, now usually by being drawn through a hole in a steel die.
2. A piece of such material; a thread or slender rod of metal, a cable.
3. A metal conductor that carries electricity.
4. A fence made of usually barbed wire.
5. (sports) A finish line of a racetrack.
6. (informal) A telecommunication wire or cable.
8. (by extension) An electric telegraph; a telegram.
9. (slang) A hidden listening device on the person of an undercover operative for the purposes of obtaining incriminating spoken evidence.
10. (informal) A deadline or critical endpoint.

11. (billiards) A wire strung with beads and hung horizontally above or near the table which is used to keep score.
12. (usually in the plural) 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.

    to pull the wires for office

13. (archaic, thieves' slang) A pickpocket, especially one who targets women.
14. (slang) A covert signal sent between people cheating in a card game.
15. (Scotland) A knitting needle.
16. The slender shaft of the plumage of certain birds.

Synonyms

• (thin thread of metal): cable, steel wire, thread
• (metal conductor that carries electricity): conducting wire
• (fencing made of usually barbed wire): barbed wire
• (informal: telegraph): See telegraph
• (informal: message transmitted by telegraph): See telegram
• (object used to keep the score in billiards): score string

Hyponyms

Derived terms

Descendants

• → Gulf Arabic: واير (wāyir)
• → Norwegian Bokmål: vaier, wire
• → Norwegian Nynorsk: vaier, wire
• → Swedish: vajer, wire

Translations

See also

• filament
• hawser
• cable

Verb

wire (third-person singular simple present wires, present participle wiring, simple past and past participle wired)

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:
   1. To add (something) into a system (especially an electrical system) by means of wiring.
   2. To add or connect (something) into a system as if with wires (for example, with nerves).
   3. To connect, involve or embed (something) deeply or intimately into (something else, such as an organization or political scene), so that it is plugged in (to that thing) (“keeping up with current information about (the thing)”) or has insinuated itself into (the thing).
5. (figuratively, usually passive) To set or predetermine (someone's personality or behaviour, or an organization's culture) in a particular way.
6. To send a message or monetary funds to another person through a telecommunications system, formerly predominantly by telegraph.
7. (slang) To make someone tense or psyched up. See also adjective wired.

8. (slang) To install eavesdropping equipment.

9. To snare by means of a wire or wires.
10. (transitive, croquet) To place (a ball) so that the wire of a wicket prevents a successful shot.

Usage notes

• In the sense of "connect" or "set, predetermine", the term can sometimes be made more emphatic by using hard-wire.
• Compare wired.

Synonyms

• (equip for use with electricity): electrify
• (informal: send a message or funds by telecommunications): cable, telegraph

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of "to fasten with wire"): unwire

Troponyms

• (to fasten with wire): rewire
• (equip for use with electricity): rewire

Derived terms

Translations

Anagrams

• Weir, weir, wier

Javanese

Romanization

wire

1. Romanization of ꦮꦶꦫꦺ

Lovono

Etymology

From Proto-Oceanic *waiʀ.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /wire/

Noun

wire

1. water, fresh water
2. river, stream

References

• François, Alexandre. 2021. Teanu dictionary (Solomon Islands). Dictionaria 15. 1-1877. DOI:10.5281/zenodo.5653063. – Lovono wire, under Teanu entry ero.

Norwegian Bokmål

Noun

wire m (definite singular wiren, indefinite plural wirer, definite plural wirene)

1. Alternative spelling of vaier

Norwegian Nynorsk

Noun

wire m (definite singular wiren, indefinite plural wirar, definite plural wirane)

1. Alternative spelling of vaier