Definition of "wire" in Anglais

noun

1. (uncountable) Metal formed into a thin, even thread, now usually by being drawn through a hole in a steel die.

   • Holonyms: cable; wire rope; wiring harness; wire wool

2. A piece of such material; a thread or slender rod of metal, a cable.

3. A metal conductor that carries electricity.

   • That wire powers the lamp.

4. A fence made of usually barbed wire.

5. (sports) A finish line of a racetrack.

6. (informal) A telecommunication wire or cable.

7. (by extension) An electric telegraph; a telegram.

8. (slang) A hidden listening device on the person of an undercover operative for the purposes of obtaining incriminating spoken evidence.

9. (informal) A deadline or critical endpoint.

   • This election is going to go right to the wire

10. (billiards) A wire strung with beads and hung horizontally above or near the table which is used to keep score.

11. (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

12. (archaic, thieves' slang) A pickpocket, especially one who targets women.

13. (slang) A covert signal sent between people cheating in a card game.

14. (Scotland) A knitting needle.

15. The slender shaft of the plumage of certain birds.

16. (journalism, informal) Clipping of wire service and/or newswire.

    • Breaking news reports have just come in to us over the wire.

verb

1. To fasten with wire, especially with reference to wine bottles, corks, or fencing.

   • We need to wire that hole in the fence.

2. To string on a wire.

   • wire beads

3. To equip with wires for use with electricity.

   • Do you know how to wire a plug?

4. To connect, embed, incorporate, or include (something) into (something else) by or as if by wires:

5. (figuratively, usually passive) To set or predetermine (someone's personality or behaviour, or an organization's culture) in a particular way.

   • There's no use trying to get Sarah to be less excitable. That's just the way she's wired.

6. To send a message or monetary funds to another person through a telecommunications system, formerly predominantly by telegraph.