cable

¹ 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.

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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 ² American  

[key-buhl] / ˈkeɪ bəl /

noun

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

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cable British  

/ ˈkeɪbəl /

noun

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

2. nautical an anchor chain or rope

3. 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)

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

   a submarine cable

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

6. See cable stitch

7. short for cable television

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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

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

The robust ecosystem that arose in objection to network and cable’s unholiness moved Netflix, Amazon and Fox to claim slices of the underserved fundamentalist market.

From Salon

It was Bell Labs’ responsibility, in other words, to create technologies for designing, expanding and improving an unruly communications network of cables and microwave links and glass fibers.

From The Wall Street Journal

His deal with Versant also gives him the opportunity to contribute to sports coverage on the company’s other cable properties, USA Network and the Golf Channel.

From Los Angeles Times

On top of its array of cable networks, including Comedy Central and Nickelodeon, Paramount is the owner of streaming platform Paramount+.

From Barron's

Unless you carry a suitcase full of gadgets, cables and adapters, you’re risking every kind of tech frustration.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

• cord
• link
• rope
• wire