Synonyms

cords

American

[kawrdz] / kɔrdz /

noun

(used with a plural verb) clothing, especially trousers, of corded fabric; corduroys.

cords British

/ kɔːdz /

plural noun

trousers, esp jeans, made of corduroy

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Etymology

Origin of cords

First recorded in 1770–80; plural of cord

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"The costs of the products that we are making are being very greatly affected," the 42-year-old said, listing plastic, copper for the vacuum's motor and raw materials in its power cords.

From Barron's • May 6, 2026

The muscles around my vocal cords were behaving improperly, squeezing too hard instead of relaxing when they should.

From Slate • Apr. 18, 2026

However, the condition worsened, "sometimes causing difficulties when I walk and not allowing me to use my vocal cords to sing the way I'm used to," she told NBC News.

From BBC • Mar. 30, 2026

Speaking in a strained whisper, the effect of a rare illness of the vocal cords, Page suggested that Hassabis’s company-building endeavors might be similarly pointless.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 25, 2026

The twenty rats strained on the cords, and the block rose an inch.

From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023