wire

[ wahyuh r ]

/ waɪər /

noun

a slender, stringlike piece or filament of relatively rigid or flexible metal, usually circular in section, manufactured in a great variety of diameters and metals depending on its application.

such pieces as a material.

a length of such material, consisting either of a single filament or of several filaments woven or twisted together and usually insulated with a dielectric material, used as a conductor of electricity.

a cross wire or a cross hair.

a barbed-wire fence.

a long wire or cable used in cable, telegraph, or telephone systems.

Nautical. a wire rope.

Informal.

a telegram.
the telegraphic system: to send a message by wire.

wires, a system of wires by which puppets are moved.

a metallic string of a musical instrument.

Underworld Slang. the member of a pickpocket team who picks the victim's pocket.Compare stall²(def 5).

Horse Racing. a wire stretched across and above the track at the finish line, under which the horses pass.

Ornithology. one of the extremely long, slender, wirelike filaments or shafts of the plumage of various birds.

a metal device for snaring rabbits and other small game.

Papermaking. the woven wire mesh over which the wet pulp is spread in a papermaking machine.

the wire, the telephone: There's someone on the wire for you.

adjective

made of wire; consisting of or constructed with wires.

resembling wire; wirelike.

verb (used with object), wired, wir·ing.

to furnish with wires.

to install an electric system of wiring in, as for lighting.

to fasten or bind with wire: He wired the halves together.

to put on a wire, as beads.

to send by telegraph, as a message: Please wire the money at once.

to send a telegraphic message to: She wired him to come at once.

to snare by means of a wire.

to equip with a hidden electronic device, as an eavesdropping device or an explosive.

to connect (a receiver, area, or building) to a television cable and other equipment so that cable television programs may be received.

Informal. to be closely connected or involved with: a law firm wired into political circles.

Informal. to prepare, equip, fix, or arrange to suit needs or goals: The sales force was wired for an all-out effort.

Croquet. to block (a ball) by placing it behind the wire of an arch.

verb (used without object), wired, wir·ing.

to send a telegraphic message; telegraph: Don't write; wire.

Nearby words

Idioms

down to the wire, to the very last moment or the very end, as in a race or competition: The candidates campaigned down to the wire.

pull wires, Informal. to use one's position or influence to obtain a desired result: to pull wires to get someone a job.

under the wire, just within the limit or deadline; scarcely; barely: to get an application in under the wire.

Origin of wire

before 900; Middle English wir(e) (noun), Old English wīr; cognate with Low German wīr, Old Norse vīra- wire, Old High German wiara fine goldwork

Related forms

wir·a·ble, adjectivewire·like, adjectivede·wire, verb (used with object), de·wired, de·wir·ing.mis·wire, verb, mis·wired, mis·wir·ing.

pre·wire, verb (used with object), pre·wired, pre·wir·ing.un·wir·a·ble, adjective

Can be confusedwhy're wire

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2019

British Dictionary definitions for prewired

wire

/ (waɪə) /

noun

a slender flexible strand or rod of metal

a cable consisting of several metal strands twisted together

a flexible metallic conductor, esp one made of copper, usually insulated, and used to carry electric current in a circuit

(modifier) of, relating to, or made of wirea wire fence; a wire stripper

anything made of wire, such as wire netting, a barbed wire fence, etc

a long continuous wire or cable connecting points in a telephone or telegraph system

old-fashioned

an informal name for telegram, telegraph
the wire an informal name for telephone

a metallic string on a guitar, piano, etc

horse racing, mainly US and Canadian the finishing line on a racecourse

a wire-gauze screen upon which pulp is spread to form paper during the manufacturing process

anything resembling a wire, such as a hair

a snare made of wire for rabbits and similar animals

to the wire or down to the wire informal right up to the last moment

get in under the wire informal, mainly US and Canadian to accomplish something with little time to spare

get one's wires crossed informal to misunderstand

pull wires mainly US and Canadian to exert influence behind the scenes, esp through personal connections; pull strings

take it to the wire to compete to the bitter end to win a competition or title

verb (mainly tr)

(also intr) to send a telegram to (a person or place)

to send (news, a message, etc) by telegraph

to equip (an electrical system, circuit, or component) with wires

to fasten or furnish with wire

(often foll by up) to provide (an area) with fibre optic cabling to receive cable television

to string (beads, etc) on wire

croquet to leave (a player's ball) so that a hoop or peg lies between it and the other balls

to snare with wire

wire in informal to set about (something, esp food) with enthusiasm

Derived Formswirelike, adjective

Word Origin for wire

Old English wīr; related to Old High German wiara, Old Norse vīra, Latin viriae bracelet

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

Word Origin and History for prewired

wire

Old English wir "metal drawn out into a thread," from Proto-Germanic *wiraz (cf. Old Norse viravirka "filigree work," Swedish vira "to twist," Old High German wiara "fine gold work"), from PIE *wei- "to turn, twist, plait" (cf. Old Irish fiar, Welsh gwyr "bent, crooked;" Latin viere "to bend, twist," viriæ "bracelets," of Celtic origin). Wiretapping is recorded from 1904, from earlier wiretapper (1893). Wirepuller in the political sense is 1848, American English.

wire

"to furnish with wires," mid-15c., from wire (n.). Related: Wired; wiring.

Idioms and Phrases with prewired

wire

see down to the wire; get one's wires crossed; live wire; pull strings (wires); under the wire.