wire
Americannoun
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wires
plural
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a slender, stringlike piece or filament of relatively rigid or flexible metal, usually circular in section, manufactured in a great variety of diameters and metals depending on its application.
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such pieces as a material.
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a length of such material, consisting either of a single filament or of several filaments woven or twisted together and usually insulated with a dielectric material, used as a conductor of electricity.
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a cross wire or a cross hair.
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a barbed-wire fence.
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a long wire or cable used in cable, telegraph, or telephone systems.
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Nautical. a wire rope.
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Informal.
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a telegram.
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the telegraphic system.
to send a message by wire.
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wires, a system of wires by which puppets are moved.
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a metallic string of a musical instrument.
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Underworld Slang. the member of a pickpocket team who picks the victim's pocket.
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Horse Racing. a wire stretched across and above the track at the finish line, under which the horses pass.
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Ornithology. one of the extremely long, slender, wirelike filaments or shafts of the plumage of various birds.
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a metal device for snaring rabbits and other small game.
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Papermaking. the woven wire mesh over which the wet pulp is spread in a papermaking machine.
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the wire, the telephone.
There's someone on the wire for you.
adjective
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made of wire; consisting of or constructed with wires.
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resembling wire; wirelike.
verb (used with object)
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wires,
present (3rd person singular)
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wired,
past participle, past
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wiring
present participle
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to furnish with wires.
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to install an electric system of wiring in, as for lighting.
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to fasten or bind with wire.
He wired the halves together.
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to put on a wire, as beads.
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to send by telegraph, as a message.
Please wire the money at once.
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to send a telegraphic message to.
She wired him to come at once.
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to snare by means of a wire.
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to equip with a hidden electronic device, as an eavesdropping device or an explosive.
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to connect (a receiver, area, or building) to a television cable and other equipment so that cable television programs may be received.
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Informal. to be closely connected or involved with.
a law firm wired into political circles.
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Informal. to prepare, equip, fix, or arrange to suit needs or goals.
The sales force was wired for an all-out effort.
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Croquet. to block (a ball) by placing it behind the wire of an arch.
verb (used without object)
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wires,
present (3rd person singular)
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wired,
past participle, past
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wiring
present participle
idioms
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down to the wire, to the very last moment or the very end, as in a race or competition.
The candidates campaigned down to the wire.
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pull wires, to use one's position or influence to obtain a desired result.
to pull wires to get someone a job.
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under the wire, just within the limit or deadline; scarcely; barely.
to get an application in under the wire.
noun
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a slender flexible strand or rod of metal
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a cable consisting of several metal strands twisted together
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a flexible metallic conductor, esp one made of copper, usually insulated, and used to carry electric current in a circuit
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(modifier) of, relating to, or made of wire
a wire fence
a wire stripper
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anything made of wire, such as wire netting, a barbed wire fence, etc
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a long continuous wire or cable connecting points in a telephone or telegraph system
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old-fashioned
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a metallic string on a guitar, piano, etc
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horse racing the finishing line on a racecourse
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a wire-gauze screen upon which pulp is spread to form paper during the manufacturing process
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anything resembling a wire, such as a hair
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a snare made of wire for rabbits and similar animals
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informal right up to the last moment
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informal to accomplish something with little time to spare
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informal to misunderstand
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to exert influence behind the scenes, esp through personal connections; pull strings
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to compete to the bitter end to win a competition or title
verb
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(also intr) to send a telegram to (a person or place)
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to send (news, a message, etc) by telegraph
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to equip (an electrical system, circuit, or component) with wires
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to fasten or furnish with wire
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(often foll by up) to provide (an area) with fibre optic cabling to receive cable television
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to string (beads, etc) on wire
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croquet to leave (a player's ball) so that a hoop or peg lies between it and the other balls
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to snare with wire
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informal to set about (something, esp food) with enthusiasm
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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miswireverb
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dewireverb (used with object)
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prewireverb (used with object)
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unwirableadjective
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wirableadjective
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wirelikeadjective
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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wiresimple
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wiressimple
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have wiredperfect
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has wiredperfect
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am wiringprogressive
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are wiringprogressive
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is wiringprogressive
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have been wiringperfect progressive
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has been wiringperfect progressive
Past
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wiredsimple
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had wiredperfect
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was wiringprogressive
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were wiringprogressive
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had been wiringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of wire
before 900; Middle English wir ( e ) (noun), Old English wīr; cognate with Low German wīr, Old Norse vīra- wire, Old High German wiara fine goldwork
Explanation
A thin piece of metal that you can bend is a wire. Wire is used for carrying phone signals and electricity, and also to make Slinky toys and abstract sculptures. If you wear braces, you might even have wire in your mouth. Most wire is a tubular strand of metal, like the wire in jewelry or in the fence around your chicken coop. There's also braided wire coated in protective plastic to make cables for connecting electronic equipment or transmitting signals. In the old days, you might've sent a wire, or telegram, to a friend. And if you wear a wire, that's a secret recording device. As a verb, wire originally meant "adorn with gold wire." Today it means "install wires" like when you wire a new house for electricity.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
Makeshift barriers formed from shipping containers and razor wire to block traffic to Peshawar's administrative zone remained in place.
From Barron's ● Oct. 12, 2026
Dolly Parton’s estate has claimed that the late country music icon’s nephew, Bryan Seaver, went to extraordinary lengths to evade being served with a summons—including allegedly draping barbed wire around the entrance to his property.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026
Bakker was then convicted in 1989 of 24 counts of mail and wire fraud and conspiracy in a scheme involving their Christian theme park, and served more than four years in prison.
From BBC ● Oct. 6, 2026
Iza, a former resident of Beverly Hills and Newport Beach, pleaded guilty last year to conspiracy against rights, wire fraud and tax evasion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 5, 2026
I picked up the pail by the wire handle and ducked out the doorway, waving my other hand so they could see me across the field.
From "Nory Ryan’s Song" by Patricia Reilly Giff
Work was ongoing to fix a fault with the 25,000-volt wires which power trains near Penkridge, causing disruption between Stafford and Wolverhampton.
From BBC ● Oct. 10, 2026
You don’t have to think about it; your subconscious will reconnect those severed wires immediately.
From Salon ● Oct. 7, 2026
On a recent Thursday he was inside a black cage stuffed with yellow wires checking a cross-connect cable that links one customer’s operation to another’s.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 19, 2026
He watched for the wires, watched for the trees and set it down.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 19, 2026
In the embassy the next morning, several American officials stepped into the “bubble”—a large soundproof box suspended by wires from the ceiling.
From "Fallout: Spies, Superbombs, and the Ultimate Cold War Showdown" by Steve Sheinkin
Sooner or later, all of his projects circle around to his concern that he’s simply wired to be unpleasant.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 14, 2026
If asked, I probably would have told you I was feeling a little tired, wired, or off-kilter, so none of those readings were all that revelatory.
From Slate ● Oct. 9, 2026
At this age, young adolescents’ brains are being wired to build relationships, so the risks compound.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 26, 2026
"We know olfaction is powerfully wired into the brain's appetite and emotion networks, but surprisingly, no study has systematically looked at the three-way interaction between smell, appetite, and actual resistance exercise capacity," said Nashrudin Naharudin.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026
Drew didn’t make a move to turn off the NBA highlights show he was watching, but I was too wired to sleep anyway.
From "Here to Stay" by Sara Farizan
As demand for optical and networking components has skyrocketed this year, shares of the companies that produce those components — like lasers, wiring and electronics — have staged major gains.
From MarketWatch ● Oct. 12, 2026
Among her tasks: wiring acclaimed authors for sound before they go on stage.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 29, 2026
Meanwhile, up to 20 tonnes is used for the network wiring connecting up those computer servers.
From BBC ● Sep. 22, 2026
"Our findings suggest that cognitive health depends not only on how much gray matter is preserved, but also on the condition of the wiring that connects it."
From Science Daily ● Sep. 14, 2026
My inside wiring feels hotter than it did during the heat test.
From "A Rover's Story" by Jasmine Warga
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
