coil

¹ American  

[koil] / kɔɪl /

noun

1. a connected series of spirals or rings that rope, wire, or the like has been formed into.

   A coil of string was wound around the pole.

2. one of a connected series of spirals or rings that rope, wire, or the like has been formed into.

   Grab the first coil of the yarn and slip it over the other two.

3. an arrangement of pipes wound up in a spiral or series, as in a radiator.

4. a continuous pipe having inlet and outlet, or flow and return ends.

5. Medicine/Medical. an intrauterine device.

6. Electricity.

   1. a conductor, such as a copper wire, wound up in a spiral or similar form.

   2. a device made up of this type of conductor.

   3. ignition coil.

7. Philately.

   1. a stamp issued in a roll, usually of 500 stamps, and usually perforated vertically or horizontally only.

   2. a roll of such stamps.

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verb (used with object)

coils, present (3rd person singular) coiled, past participle, past coiling present participle

1. to wind into continuous, regularly spaced rings one above the other.

   The first step of this craft is to coil a wire around a pencil.

2. to wind on a flat surface into a connected series of rings, one atop the other.

   He coiled the rope on the deck.

3. to gather (rope, wire, etc.) into loops.

   She coiled the garden hose and hung it on the hook.

verb (used without object)

coils, present (3rd person singular) coiled, past participle, past coiling present participle

1. to form rings, spirals, etc.; gather or retract in a circular way.

   The snake coiled, ready to strike.

2. to move in or follow a winding course.

   The river coiled through the valley.

coil ² American  

[koil] / kɔɪl /

noun

Archaic.

1. a noisy disturbance; commotion; tumult.

2. trouble; bustle; ado.

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coil ¹ British  

/ kɔɪl /

verb

1. to wind or gather (ropes, hair, etc) into loops or (of rope, hair, etc) to be formed in such loops

2. (intr) to move in a winding course

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noun

1. something wound in a connected series of loops

2. a single loop of such a series

3. an arrangement of pipes in a spiral or loop, as in a condenser

4. an electrical conductor wound into the form of a spiral, sometimes with a soft iron core, to provide inductance or a magnetic field See also induction coil

5. an intrauterine contraceptive device in the shape of a coil

6. the transformer in a petrol engine that supplies the high voltage to the sparking plugs

coil ² British  

/ kɔɪl /

noun

1. the troubles and activities of the world (in the Shakespearean phrase this mortal coil )

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• coilability
  noun
• coiler
  noun
• coilable
  adjective
• uncoiled
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• coiling
  present
• coiled
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• coil
  simple
• coils
  simple
• have coiled
  perfect
• has coiled
  perfect
• am coiling
  progressive
• are coiling
  progressive
• is coiling
  progressive
• have been coiling
  perfect progressive
• has been coiling
  perfect progressive

Past

• coiled
  simple
• had coiled
  perfect
• was coiling
  progressive
• were coiling
  progressive
• had been coiling
  perfect progressive

Future

• will coil
  simple
• will have coiled
  perfect
• will be coiling
  progressive
• will have been coiling
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of coil¹

First recorded in 1605–15; of uncertain origin; perhaps from Middle French, Old French coillir, cuillir “to take” (modern French cueillir “to gather, pick”), from Latin colligere “to gather together”; see collect, cull

Origin of coil²

First recorded in 1560–70; origin uncertain

Explanation

A coil is a spiral shape or a series of circles, each one inside another. You might see a coil of rope on a dock or coils of hair in a fancy hairdo. A snake naturally curls its body into a coil, and the end of a whip after it's been cracked tends to form a coil. To move in this way is also to coil, as when your cat coils around your leg or you coil a necklace around your finger. This verb form is the earliest meaning of coil, from the Middle French coillir, "to gather," with the Latin root colligere, "to gather together."

Example Sentences

Coil and her collaborators have been studying massive "starburst" galaxies that can drive these ultra-fast outflowing winds.

From Science Daily • Jan. 8, 2024

ORCs, on the other hand, are “a relic of a past outflow grown to enormous size,” Coil says, allowing astronomers to “trace gas far outside the galaxy.”

From Science Magazine • Jan. 8, 2024

Madhouse has also given us the terrific "Hunter X Hunter" adaptation, Mitsuo Ito’s "Dennou Coil," "Death Note," "Sonny Boy" and a host of other beloved series.

From Salon • Dec. 23, 2023

UTR was soon joined by related festivals — Coil, American Realness, Other Forces, and later Prototype and the Exponential Festival.

From New York Times • Jun. 8, 2023

White and red, red stripe on back; calved March 28th, 1861; bred and owned by H. H. Peters, Southboro', Mass.: Sire, King Coil, 40, Dam, Miss Miller, 151.

From Herd Record of the Association of Breeders of Thorough-Bred Neat Stock Short Horns, Ayrshires and Devons by Various

Related Words

• braid
• tendril