cords

American

[kawrdz] / kɔrdz /

noun

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

At the time, she felt it was impossible to take time off, and experimented with singing in a lower register to ease the stress on her vocal cords.

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

When the extension cords running to the back popped the circuit breakers, repeatedly, he tried to curtail electricity usage in the camp.

From Slate • Mar. 25, 2026

Voice loss often becomes permanent when scar tissue forms on the vocal cords.

From Science Daily • Jan. 2, 2026

Like fish caught in a net, struggling against the cords that trap us, trying to squirm free, not realizing we’re already dead.

From "Internment" by Samira Ahmed

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