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Cable

1 American  
[key-buhl] / ˈkeɪ bəl /

noun

  1. George Washington, 1844–1925, U.S. novelist and short-story writer.


cable 2 American  
[key-buhl] / ˈkeɪ bəl /

noun

  1. a heavy, strong rope.

  2. a very strong rope made of strands of metal wire, as used to support cable cars or suspension bridges.

  3. a cord of metal wire used to operate or pull a mechanism.

  4. Nautical.

    1. a thick hawser made of rope, strands of metal wire, or chain.

    2. cable's length.

  5. Electricity. an insulated electrical conductor, often in strands, or a combination of electrical conductors insulated from one another.

  6. cablegram.

  7. cable television.

  8. cable-stitch.

  9. Architecture. one of a number of reedings set into the flutes of a column or pilaster.


verb (used with object)

cabled, cabling
  1. to send (a message) by cable.

  2. to send a cablegram to.

  3. to fasten with a cable.

  4. to furnish with a cable.

  5. to join (cities, parts of a country, etc.) by means of a cable television network.

    The state will be completely cabled in a few years.

verb (used without object)

cabled, cabling
  1. to send a message by cable.

  2. to cable-stitch.

cable British  
/ ˈkeɪbəl /

noun

  1. a strong thick rope, usually of twisted hemp or steel wire

  2. nautical an anchor chain or rope

    1. a unit of distance in navigation, equal to one tenth of a sea mile (about 600 feet)

    2. Also called: cable length.   cable's length.  a unit of length in nautical use that has various values, including 100 fathoms (600 feet)

  3. a wire or bundle of wires that conducts electricity See also coaxial cable

    a submarine cable

  4. Also called: overseas telegram.   international telegram.   cablegram.  a telegram sent abroad by submarine cable, radio, communications satellite, or by telephone line

  5. See cable stitch

  6. short for cable television

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

verb

  1. to send (a message) to (someone) by cable

  2. (tr) to fasten or provide with a cable or cables

  3. (tr) to supply (a place) with or link (a place) to cable television

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

  • cablelike adjective
  • recable verb
  • uncabled adjective

Etymology

Origin of cable

1175–1225; Middle English, probably < Old North French *cable < Late Latin capulum lasso; compare Latin capulāre to rope, halter (cattle), akin to capere to take

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.

Other cables labelled him a "symbol of kleptocratic government and violent politics" and accused him of being "phenomenally corrupt" -- claims he rejected as politically motivated.

From Barron's

Not included are Warner’s basic cable channels, which are set to be spun off into a separate, publicly-traded company called Discovery Global.

From Los Angeles Times

Netflix agreed earlier this month to buy Warner’s streaming and studios assets in a $27.75 a share cash and stock deal, with cable being spun off as Discovery Global.

From Barron's

While newer cutting-edge series typically win critical kudos and accolades, Gen Z and Gen Alpha viewers are binge-watching programs that became hits on the broadcast and cable networks in the pre-streaming era.

From Los Angeles Times

Months after being confirmed, Delrahim sued to block the merger, citing concerns that AT&T would have the power to raise prices for Warner’s content or withhold it from rival cable providers.

From The Wall Street Journal