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

According to the NHS, MS is a condition that affects the brain and spinal cord.

Read more on BBC

Within minutes, AI me was escaping from a pit of USB cords, and accepting an Oscar for going to bed early.

Read more on The Wall Street Journal

"It has slightly different central nervous system effects and may be better suited for other conditions like spinal cord injury or traumatic brain injury, so we're keeping it in the pipeline."

Read more on Science Daily

A car crash left him with a spinal cord injury seven years ago.

Read more on BBC

The animals are resistant to cancer, deterioration of the brain and spinal cord, and arthritis, so many scientists want to understand more about how their bodies work.

Read more on BBC

Related Words

• fiber 
• string 
• twine