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Coil vs Cord - What's the difference?

coil | cord |

As nouns the difference between coil and cord

is that coil is something wound in the form of a helix or spiral or coil can be a noise, tumult, bustle, or turmoil while cord is cord, line.

As verbs the difference between coil and cord

is that coil is to wind or reel eg a wire or rope into regular rings, often around a centerpiece while cord is agree.

coil

English

Etymology 1

From (etyl) ; compare legend.

Noun

(en noun)
  • Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral.
  • the sinuous coils of a snake
  • * Washington Irving
  • The wild grapevines that twisted their coils from tree to tree.
  • Any intra-uterine contraceptive device (Abbreviation: IUD )—the first IUDs were coil-shaped.
  • (electrical) A coil of electrically conductive wire through which electricity can flow.
  • (figurative) Entanglement; perplexity.
  • Synonyms
    * (coil of conductive wire) inductor
    Derived terms
    * coil spring * impedance coil * mosquito coil * Oudin coil * Tesla coil

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To wind or reel e.g. a wire or rope into regular rings, often around a centerpiece.
  • A simple transformer can be made by coiling two pieces of insulated copper wire around an iron heart.
  • To wind into loops (roughly) around a common center.
  • The sailor coiled the free end of the hawser on the pier.
  • To wind cylindrically or spirally.
  • to coil a rope when not in use
    The snake coiled itself before springing.
  • (obsolete, rare) To encircle and hold with, or as if with, coils.
  • Etymology 2

    Origin unknown.

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A noise, tumult, bustle, or turmoil.
  • * 1594 , William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus , Act III:
  • If the windes rage, doth not the Sea wax mad, / Threatning the welkin with his big-swolne face? / And wilt thou haue a reason for this coile ?
  • * 1624 , John Smith, Generall Historie , in Kupperman 1988, p. 162:
  • this great Savage desired also to see him. A great coyle there was to set him forward.
  • * 1704 , Jonathan Swift, A Tale of a Tub :
  • they continued so extremely fond of gold, that if Peter sent them abroad, though it were only upon a compliment, they would roar, and spit, and belch, and piss, and f—t, and snivel out fire, and keep a perpetual coil , till you flung them a bit of gold [...].
    Derived terms
    * mortal coil

    Anagrams

    * ----

    cord

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • A long, thin, flexible length of twisted yarns (strands) of fiber (rope, for example); (uncountable) such a length of twisted strands considered as a commodity.
  • The burglar tied up the victim with a cord .
    He looped some cord around his fingers.
  • A small flexible electrical conductor composed of wires insulated separately or in bundles and assembled together usually with an outer cover; the electrical cord of a lamp, sweeper ((US) vacuum cleaner), or other appliance.
  • A unit of measurement for firewood, equal to 128 cubic feet (4 × 4 × 8 feet), composed of logs and/or split logs four feet long and none over eight inches diameter. It is usually seen as a stack four feet high by eight feet long.
  • * 1851 , Herman Melville, Moby-Dick
  • Unerringly impelling this dead, impregnable, uninjurable wall, and this most buoyant thing within; there swims behind it all a mass of tremendous life, only to be adequately estimated as piled wood is—by the cord
  • (in plural'' cords ) ''See cords.
  • : a cross-section measurement of an aircraft wing.
  • : musical sense.
  • (figuratively) Any influence by which persons are caught, held, or drawn, as if by a cord.
  • * Tennyson
  • The knots that tangle human creeds, / The wounding cords that bind and strain / The heart until it bleeds.
  • * 1900 , , The House Behind the Cedars , Chapter I,
  • Every detail of the house and garden was familiar; a thousand cords of memory and affection drew him thither; but a stronger counter-motive prevailed.
  • (anatomy) Any structure having the appearance of a cord, especially a tendon or nerve.
  • spermatic''' cord; '''spinal''' cord; '''umbilical''' cord; '''vocal cords

    Synonyms

    * (length of twisted strands) cable, twine * cable, flex * See also

    Derived terms

    * cordless * extension cord * power cord * pull cord * spinal cord * umbilical cord * vocal cords

    Verb

    (en verb)
  • To furnish with cords
  • To tie or fasten with cords
  • To flatten a book during binding
  • To arrange (wood, etc.) in a pile for measurement by the cord.
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