cord

[kawrd]

noun

1. a string or thin rope made of several strands braided, twisted, or woven together.

2. Electricity.,  a small, flexible, insulated cable.

3. a ribbed fabric, especially corduroy.

4. a cordlike rib on the surface of cloth.

5. any influence that binds or restrains.

   cord of marriage.

6. Anatomy.,  a cordlike structure.

   the spinal cord;

   umbilical cord.

7. a unit of volume used chiefly for fuel wood, now generally equal to 128 cu. ft. (3.6 cu. m), usually specified as 8 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 4 feet high (2.4 m × 1.2 m × 1.2 meters). cd, cd.

8. a hangman's rope.

verb (used with object)

1. to bind or fasten with a cord or cords.

2. to pile or stack up (wood) in cords.

3. to furnish with a cord.

cord

/ kɔːd /

noun

1. string or thin rope made of several twisted strands

2. a length of woven or twisted strands of silk, etc, sewn on clothing or used as a belt

3. a ribbed fabric, esp corduroy

4. any influence that binds or restrains

5. Also called (in Britain and certain other countries): flex. a flexible insulated electric cable, used esp to connect appliances to mains

6. anatomy any part resembling a string or rope

   the spinal cord

7. a unit of volume for measuring cut wood, equal to 128 cubic feet

verb

1. to bind or furnish with a cord or cords

2. to stack (wood) in cords

Other Word Forms

• corder noun
• cordlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cord¹

1250–1300; Middle English coord ( e ) < Anglo-French, Old French corde < Latin chorda < Greek chordḗ gut; confused in part of its history with chord ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of cord¹

C13: from Old French corde, from Latin chorda cord, from Greek khordē; see _chord ¹

Example Sentences

After physiotherapy failed to improve the problem, a series of scans showed nerves in his brain and spinal cord had been damaged by MND.

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Meningitis is the swelling of the meninges – the tissues surrounding the brain and spinal cord – and it is usually caused by a bacterial infection.

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It causes inflammation of the membranes surrounding the brain and spinal cord, so if you recognise these symptoms, call 999 or go to A&E straight away.

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I think the experience of briefly having an eating disorder and fighting my way out of it — that felt distinctly female, and cutting the cord on that felt like I became a woman.

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In an interview, McOsker said he was horrified by the conditions at the Wilmington site, including narrow driving lanes, food for sale outdoors and washers and dryers connected with extension cords.

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Related Words

• fiber 
• string 
• twine