wire
♦ wire /w'aɪ'ər/ (wires wiring wired)
1 [N-VAR]
A wire is a long thin piece of metal that is used to fasten things or to carry electric current.
...fine copper wire.
...gadgets which detect electrical wires, pipes and timbers in walls.
2 [N-COUNT] usu supp N
A wire is a cable which carries power or signals from one place to another.
I ripped out the telephone wire that ran through to his office.
...the voltage of the overhead wires.
= cable
3 [VERB] V n, be V-ed for n, V-ed
If you wire something such as a building or piece of equipment, you put wires inside it so that electricity or signals can pass into or through it.
...learning to wire and plumb the house herself...
Each of the homes has a security system and is wired for cable television.
...a badly wired appliance.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
Wire up means the same as wire.
He was helping wire up the Channel Tunnel last season...
Wire the thermometers up to trigger off an alarm bell if the temperature drops...
4 [N-COUNT]
A wire is the same as a telegram. (mainly AM)
5 [VERB] V n n, V n prep
If you wire an amount of money to a person or place, you tell a bank to send it to the person or place using a telegram message. (mainly AM)
I'm wiring you some money...
They arranged to wire the money from the United States...
6 [PHRASE]
If something goes to the wire, it continues until the last possible moment. (mainly JOURNALISM)
Negotiators again worked right down to the wire to reach an agreement.
7
see also barbed wire, high wire, live wire, live wirebarbed wire
[N-UNCOUNT] oft N n
Barbed wire is strong wire with sharp points sticking out of it, and is used to make fences.
The factory was surrounded by barbed wire.
...a barbed-wire fence.chick|en wire
[N-UNCOUNT]
Chicken wire is a type of thin wire netting.high wire (high wires)
also high-wire
1 [N-COUNT]
A high wire is a length of rope or wire stretched tight high above the ground and used for balancing acts.
= tightrope
2 [N-SING] oft N n
Journalists talk about a person being on a high wire or performing a high-wire act when he or she is dealing with a situation in which it would be easy to do the wrong thing.
This year's Budget looks set to be a precarious high-wire act for the Chancellor.live wire /l'aɪv w'aɪ'ər/ (live wires)
[N-COUNT]
If you describe someone as a live wire, you mean that they are lively and energetic. (INFORMAL)ra|zor wire
[N-UNCOUNT]
Razor wire is strong wire with sharp blades sticking out of it. In wars or civil conflict it is sometimes used to prevent people from entering or leaving buildings or areas of land.
...plans to use razor wire to seal off hostels for migrant workers.wire wool
[N-UNCOUNT]
Wire wool consists of very thin pieces of wire twisted together, often in the form of small pads. These are used to clean wooden and metal objects. (BRIT; in AM, use steel wool)
= steel wool
1 [N-VAR]
A wire is a long thin piece of metal that is used to fasten things or to carry electric current.
...fine copper wire.
...gadgets which detect electrical wires, pipes and timbers in walls.
2 [N-COUNT] usu supp N
A wire is a cable which carries power or signals from one place to another.
I ripped out the telephone wire that ran through to his office.
...the voltage of the overhead wires.
= cable
3 [VERB] V n, be V-ed for n, V-ed
If you wire something such as a building or piece of equipment, you put wires inside it so that electricity or signals can pass into or through it.
...learning to wire and plumb the house herself...
Each of the homes has a security system and is wired for cable television.
...a badly wired appliance.
[PHRASAL VERB] V P n (not pron), V n P
Wire up means the same as wire.
He was helping wire up the Channel Tunnel last season...
Wire the thermometers up to trigger off an alarm bell if the temperature drops...
4 [N-COUNT]
A wire is the same as a telegram. (mainly AM)
5 [VERB] V n n, V n prep
If you wire an amount of money to a person or place, you tell a bank to send it to the person or place using a telegram message. (mainly AM)
I'm wiring you some money...
They arranged to wire the money from the United States...
6 [PHRASE]
If something goes to the wire, it continues until the last possible moment. (mainly JOURNALISM)
Negotiators again worked right down to the wire to reach an agreement.
7
see also barbed wire, high wire, live wire, live wirebarbed wire
[N-UNCOUNT] oft N n
Barbed wire is strong wire with sharp points sticking out of it, and is used to make fences.
The factory was surrounded by barbed wire.
...a barbed-wire fence.chick|en wire
[N-UNCOUNT]
Chicken wire is a type of thin wire netting.high wire (high wires)
also high-wire
1 [N-COUNT]
A high wire is a length of rope or wire stretched tight high above the ground and used for balancing acts.
= tightrope
2 [N-SING] oft N n
Journalists talk about a person being on a high wire or performing a high-wire act when he or she is dealing with a situation in which it would be easy to do the wrong thing.
This year's Budget looks set to be a precarious high-wire act for the Chancellor.live wire /l'aɪv w'aɪ'ər/ (live wires)
[N-COUNT]
If you describe someone as a live wire, you mean that they are lively and energetic. (INFORMAL)ra|zor wire
[N-UNCOUNT]
Razor wire is strong wire with sharp blades sticking out of it. In wars or civil conflict it is sometimes used to prevent people from entering or leaving buildings or areas of land.
...plans to use razor wire to seal off hostels for migrant workers.wire wool
[N-UNCOUNT]
Wire wool consists of very thin pieces of wire twisted together, often in the form of small pads. These are used to clean wooden and metal objects. (BRIT; in AM, use steel wool)
= steel wool