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Wire vs Coil - What's the difference?

wire | coil |

As nouns the difference between wire and coil

is that wire is metal formed into a thin, even thread, now usually by being drawn through a hole in a steel die while coil is something wound in the form of a helix or spiral.

As verbs the difference between wire and coil

is that wire is to fasten with wire, especially with reference to wine bottles, corks, or fencing while coil is to wind or reel e.g. a wire or rope into regular rings, often around a centerpiece.

wire

English

Noun

  • (label) Metal formed into a thin, even thread, now usually by being drawn through a hole in a steel die.
  • * {{quote-magazine, date=2013-06-08, volume=407, issue=8839, page=52, magazine=(The Economist)
  • , title= The new masters and commanders , passage=From the ground, Colombo’s port does not look like much. Those entering it are greeted by wire fences, walls dating back to colonial times and security posts. For mariners leaving the port after lonely nights on the high seas, the delights of the B52 Night Club and Stallion Pub lie a stumble away.}}
  • A piece of such material; a thread or slender rod of metal, a cable.
  • A metal conductor that carries electricity.
  • A fence made of usually barbed wire.
  • (label) A finish line of a racetrack.
  • (label) A telecommunication wire or cable
  • (label) An electric telegraph; a telegram.
  • (label) A hidden listening device on the person of an undercover operative for the purposes of obtaining incriminating spoken evidence.
  • (label) A deadline or critical endpoint.
  • (label) A wire strung with beads and hung horizontally above or near the table which is used to keep score.
  • 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

    Derived terms

    * baling wire * barbed wire, barbed-wire * be on the wire * by wire * chicken wire * down to the wire * earthing wire * get one’s wires crossed]], [[have one's wires crossed, have one’s wires crossed * guy wire/guy-wire * haywire * live wire * piano wire * pull wires * pull the wires * razor wire * trawlwire * trip wire * under the wire * wire broadcasting * wire clippers * wire cutter * wire entanglement * wireform * wireless * wire recorder * wire rope * wire transfer * wiretap * wire wool * woven wire * wiry

    See also

    * filament * hawser * cable

    Verb

    (wir)
  • To fasten with wire, especially with reference to wine bottles, corks, or fencing.
  • * 1934 , edition, ISBN 0553278193, page 222:
  • 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.
  • To string on a wire.
  • To equip with wires for use with electricity.
  • 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.
  • (label) To send a message or a money value to another person through a telecommunications system, formerly predominately by telegraph.
  • To make someone tense or psyched up.
  • (label) To install eavesdropping equipment.
  • To snare by means of a wire or wires.
  • Synonyms

    * (to equip for use with electricity ): electrify * (informal: to send a message or a money value to another person through a telecommunications system ): cable, telegraph

    Antonyms

    * (to fasten with wire ): unwire

    Troponyms

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

    Derived terms

    * wire away * wire in * wire into

    Anagrams

    * weir 1000 English basic words

    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

    * ----