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

See Examples For:

coil coils coiled coiling

Roll it out cinnamon-roll style, spread with cream cheese, Parmesan, herbs and hot giardiniera, then coil, slice and nestle the spirals together in a buttered skillet.

From Salon ● Aug. 16, 2026

Graham shuttles off this mortal coil with no such vindication.

From Slate ● Jul. 13, 2026

And, while it would be easier for you to slip this mortal coil and leave your assets in the hands of your sons to do with that money as they please, it’s your money.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 23, 2026

The reality is scary stories get attention and go viral, Evans says, whereas someone who loves the coil "with their whole heart" wouldn't get the views.

From BBC ● Apr. 11, 2026

Then she ran inside and returned with a coil of rope.

From "The Red Car to Hollywood" by Jennie Liu

On Independence Day 1826, John Adams and Thomas Jefferson—former presidents who had been great friends, then bitter enemies, then friends again—shuffled off their mortal coils within hours of each other.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 2, 2026

The coils on the back of the fridge cool the refrigerant liquid, so if they are dirty or blocked the fridge will not work as well in hot weather.

From BBC ● Jul. 2, 2026

He estimates the tune-up can help a household save up to 15% on an electric bill, “especially if coils are dirty and airflow is restricted,” Rogers said.

From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026

The review identified multiple cancer causing substances in e-cigarette aerosols, including volatile organic compounds and metals released by heating coils.

From Science Daily ● Jun. 21, 2026

Forcefully the snake launched his great body at the opening, crumbling earth and rock as he pushed his coils through the aperture.

From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques

Current theories suggest that magnetic energy builds up as the Sun's magnetic field lines become twisted and coiled -- similar to the mechanical energy stored in a tightly coiled metal spring.

From Science Daily ● Aug. 8, 2026

Christopher Gadsden’s coiled rattlesnake “Don’t Tread On Me” flag from 1775 symbolized that fight for freedom: Don’t tell me what to do.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 28, 2026

"It's the history, the quirkiness, the layout of the arena, how close the spectators are. It's everything," says Crucible MC Rob Walker, a coiled spring each April.

From BBC ● Apr. 20, 2026

Duvall’s coiled intensity was a key element in the first two “Godfather” movies.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 17, 2026

He was brown, like the boys, wore dark goggles cinched tight through a mane of coiled dreadlocks that whipped about as he got his bearings.

From "The Last Last-Day-of-Summer" by Lamar Giles

Such coiling action often resolves in an explosive move.

From Barron's ● Jan. 26, 2026

The study suggests that the development of the coiling and grasping trunk in Platybelodon allowed this group to survive in greater numbers in their open environments.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 28, 2023

The coiling composition grounded the visual building blocks and movement.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 21, 2023

Behind where they sat, I could see the 20-foot border wall with coiling razor wire on top.

From Salon ● Jun. 8, 2023

Dumbledore stepped in too, coiling the chain onto the floor.

From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling

Related Words

• braid
• tendril