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Entry 15 senses · 3 variants Webster, 1913

Wire

/(wīr)/ · IPA /ˈwaɪɚ/
01 n. A thread or slender rod of metal; a metallic substance formed to an even thread by being passed between grooved rollers, or drawn through h…
  1. 1.
    A thread or slender rod of metal; a metallic substance formed to an even thread by being passed between grooved rollers, or drawn through holes in a plate of steel.
  2. 2.
    A telegraph wire or cable; hence, an electric telegraph; as, to send a message by wire.[Colloq.]
  3. 3.
    The system of wires used to operate the puppets in a puppet show;(Chiefly Political Slang)
  4. 4.
    One who picks women's pockets.[Thieves' Slang]
  5. 5.
    A knitting needle.[Scot.]
  6. 6.
    A wire stretching across over a race track at the judges' stand, to mark the line at which the races end.[Racing Cant]
Phrases & compounds
Wire bed — an elastic bed bottom or mattress made of wires interwoven or looped together in various ways.
Wire bridge — a bridge suspended from wires, or cables made of wire.
Wire cartridge — a shot cartridge having the shot inclosed in a wire cage.
Wire cloth — a coarse cloth made of woven metallic wire, -- used for strainers, and for various other purposes.
Wire edge — the thin, wirelike thread of metal sometimes formed on the edge of a tool by the stone in sharpening it.
Wire fence — a fence consisting of posts with strained horizontal wires, wire netting, or other wirework, between.
Wire gauge — A gauge for measuring the diameter of wire, thickness of sheet metal, etc., often consisting of a metal plate with a series of notches of various widths in its edge.
Wire gauze — a texture of finely interwoven wire, resembling gauze.
Wire grass — either of the two common grasses Eleusine Indica, valuable for hay and pasture, and Poa compressa, or blue grass. See Blue grass.
Wire grub — a wireworm.
Wire iron — wire rods of iron.
Wire lathing — wire cloth or wire netting applied in the place of wooden lathing for holding plastering.
Wire mattress — See Wire bed, above.
Wire micrometer — a micrometer having spider lines, or fine wires, across the field of the instrument.
Wire nail — a nail formed of a piece of wire which is headed and pointed.
Wire netting — a texture of woven wire coarser than ordinary wire gauze.
Wire rod — a metal rod from which wire is formed by drawing.
Wire rope — a rope formed wholly, or in great part, of wires.
down to the wire — up to the last moment, as in a race or competition; as, the two front runners were neck-and-neck down to the wire. From wire{6}.
under the wire — just in time; shortly before the deadline; as, to file an application just under the wire.
02 v. t. To bind with wire; to attach with wires; to apply wire to; as, to wire corks in bottling liquors.
imp. & p. p. Wired; p. pr. & vb. n. Wiring
  1. 1.
    To bind with wire; to attach with wires; to apply wire to; as, to wire corks in bottling liquors.
  2. 2.
    To put upon a wire; as, to wire beads.
  3. 3.
    To snare by means of a wire or wires.
  4. 4.
    To send (a message) by telegraph.[Colloq.]
  5. 5.
    To place (a ball) so that the wire of a wicket prevents a successful shot.(Croquet)
  6. 6.
    to equip with a system of wiring, especially for supply of electrical power or communication; as, to wire an office for networking the computers; to wire a building with 220-Volt current.
  7. 7.
    to equip with an electronic system for eavesdropping; to bug; as, to wire the office of a mob boss; to wire an informant so as to record his conversations.
03 v. i. To pass like a wire; to flow in a wirelike form, or in a tenuous stream.
  1. 1.
    To pass like a wire; to flow in a wirelike form, or in a tenuous stream.[R.]
  2. 2.
    To send a telegraphic message.[Colloq.]