English

Etymology

Noun

1. 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. A finish line of a racetrack.
6. A telecommunication wire or cable; hence, an electric telegraph; a telegram
7. A hidden listening device on the person of an undercover operative for the purposes of obtaining incriminating spoken evidence.
8. A deadline or critical endpoint.

   This election is going to go right to the wire

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

• (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 score string

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.
4. 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.

5. To send a message or a money value to another person through a telecommunications system, formerly predominately by telegraph.

   Urgent: please wire me another 100 pounds sterling.

6. To make someone tense or psyched-up.

   I'm never going to sleep – I'm completely wired from all that coffee.

7. To install eavesdropping equipment.

   We wired the suspect's house.

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

Troponyms

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