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American Heritage Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

wire       (wīr)  Pronunciation Key  n.   A usually pliable metallic strand or rod made in many lengths and diameters, sometimes clad and often electrically insulated, used chiefly for structural support or to conduct electricity. A group of wire strands bundled or twisted together as a functional unit; cable. Something resembling a wire, as in slenderness or stiffness. An open telephone connection. Slang A hidden microphone, as on a person's body or in a building. A telegraph service. A telegram or cablegram. The system of strings employed in manipulating puppets in a show. Hidden controlling influences. A wire service. Computer Science A pin in the print head of a computer printer. The screen on which sheets of paper are formed in a papermaking machine. Sports The finish line of a racetrack. wires The system of strings employed in manipulating puppets in a show. Hidden controlling influences. Slang A pickpocket. Fencing made of usually barbed wire. v.   wired, wir·ing, wires v.   tr. To bind, connect, or attach with wires or a wire. To string (beads, for example) on wire. To equip with a system of electrical wires. Slang To install electronic eavesdropping equipment in (a room, for example). To send by telegraph: wired her congratulations. To send a telegram to. Computer Science To implement (a capability) through logic circuitry that is permanently connected within a computer or calculator and therefore not subject to change by programming. To determine or put into effect by physiological or neurological mechanisms; hard-wire: "It is plausible that the basic organization of grammar is wired into the child's brain" (Steven Pinker). v.   intr. To send a telegram. [Middle English, from Old English wīr; see wei- in Indo-European roots.] wir'a·ble adj.

Online Etymology Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
wire  (n.)

WordNet - Cite This Source - Share This

wire
noun
1.	ligament made of metal and used to fasten things or make cages or fences etc
2.	a metal conductor that carries electricity over a distance
3.	the finishing line on a racetrack
4.	a message transmitted by telegraph [syn: telegram]
verb
1.	provide with electrical circuits; "wire the addition to the house"
2.	send cables, wires, or telegrams [syn: cable]
3.	fasten with wire; "The columns were wired to the beams for support" [ant: unwire]
4.	string on a wire; "wire beads"
5.	equip for use with electricity; "electrify an appliance" [syn: electrify]

American Heritage Dictionary of Idioms - Cite This Source - Share This

wire

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

Merriam-Webster's Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This
Main Entry: wire
Pronunciation: 'wI(&)r
Function: noun
: metal thread or a rod used in surgery to suture soft tissue or transfix fractured bone and inorthodontic dentistry to position teeth —wire transitive verb wired; wir·ing

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Wire

Gauge\, n. [Written also gage.]

1. A measure; a standard of measure; an instrument to determine dimensions, distance, or capacity; a standard.

This plate must be a gauge to file your worm and groove to equal breadth by. --Moxon.

There is not in our hands any fixed gauge of minds. --I. Taylor.

2. Measure; dimensions; estimate.

The gauge and dimensions of misery, depression, and contempt. --Burke.

3. (Mach. & Manuf.) Any instrument for ascertaining or regulating the dimensions or forms of things; a templet or template; as, a button maker's gauge.

4. (Physics) Any instrument or apparatus for measuring the state of a phenomenon, or for ascertaining its numerical elements at any moment; -- usually applied to some particular instrument; as, a rain gauge; a steam gauge.

5. (Naut.) (a) Relative positions of two or more vessels with reference to the wind; as, a vessel has the weather gauge of another when on the windward side of it, and the lee gauge when on the lee side of it. (b) The depth to which a vessel sinks in the water. --Totten.

6. The distance between the rails of a railway.

Note: The standard gauge of railroads in most countries is four feet, eight and one half inches. Wide, or broad, gauge, in the United States, is six feet; in England, seven feet, and generally any gauge exceeding standard gauge. Any gauge less than standard gauge is now called narrow gauge. It varies from two feet to three feet six inches.

7. (Plastering) The quantity of plaster of Paris used with common plaster to accelerate its setting.

8. (Building) That part of a shingle, slate, or tile, which is exposed to the weather, when laid; also, one course of such shingles, slates, or tiles.

Gauge of a carriage, car, etc., the distance between the wheels; -- ordinarily called the track.

Gauge cock, a stop cock used as a try cock for ascertaining the height of the water level in a steam boiler.

Gauge concussion (Railroads), the jar caused by a car-wheel flange striking the edge of the rail.

Gauge glass, a glass tube for a water gauge.

Gauge lathe, an automatic lathe for turning a round object having an irregular profile, as a baluster or chair round, to a templet or gauge.

Gauge point, the diameter of a cylinder whose altitude is one inch, and contents equal to that of a unit of a given measure; -- a term used in gauging casks, etc.

Gauge rod, a graduated rod, for measuring the capacity of barrels, casks, etc.

Gauge saw, a handsaw, with a gauge to regulate the depth of cut. --Knight.

Gauge stuff, a stiff and compact plaster, used in making cornices, moldings, etc., by means of a templet.

Gauge wheel, a wheel at the forward end of a plow beam, to determine the depth of the furrow.

Joiner's gauge, an instrument used to strike a line parallel to the straight side of a board, etc.

Printer's gauge, an instrument to regulate the length of the page.

Rain gauge, an instrument for measuring the quantity of rain at any given place.

Salt gauge, or Brine gauge, an instrument or contrivance for indicating the degree of saltness of water from its specific gravity, as in the boilers of ocean steamers.

Sea gauge, an instrument for finding the depth of the sea.

Siphon gauge, a glass siphon tube, partly filled with mercury, -- used to indicate pressure, as of steam, or the degree of rarefaction produced in the receiver of an air pump or other vacuum; a manometer.

Sliding gauge. (Mach.) (a) A templet or pattern for gauging the commonly accepted dimensions or shape of certain parts in general use, as screws, railway-car axles, etc. (b) A gauge used only for testing other similar gauges, and preserved as a reference, to detect wear of the working gauges. (c) (Railroads) See Note under Gauge, n., 5.

Star gauge (Ordnance), an instrument for measuring the diameter of the bore of a cannon at any point of its length.

Steam gauge, an instrument for measuring the pressure of steam, as in a boiler.

Tide gauge, an instrument for determining the height of the tides.

Vacuum gauge, a species of barometer for determining the relative elasticities of the vapor in the condenser of a steam engine and the air.

Water gauge. (a) A contrivance for indicating the height of a water surface, as in a steam boiler; as by a gauge cock or glass. (b) The height of the water in the boiler.

Wind gauge, an instrument for measuring the force of the wind on any given surface; an anemometer.

Wire gauge, a gauge for determining the diameter of wire or the thickness of sheet metal; also, a standard of size. See under Wire.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Wire

Wire\, n. 1. Chiefly in pl. The system of wires used to operate the puppets in a puppet show; hence (Chiefly Political Slang), the network of hidden influences controlling the action of a person or organization; as, to pull the wires for office.

2. One who picks women's pockets. [Thieves' Slang]

3. A knitting needle. [Scot.]

4. A wire stretching across over a race track at the judges' stand, to mark the line at which the races end. [Racing Cant]

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Wire

Wire\, v. t. (Croquet) To place (a ball) so that the wire of a wicket prevents a successful shot.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Wire

Wi"er*y\, a. [From Wire; cf. Fiery.] Wiry. [Obs.] "Wiery gold." --Peacham.

Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

Wire

Wire\, n. [OE. wir, AS. wir; akin to Icel. v[=i]rr, Dan. vire, LG. wir, wire; cf. OHG. wiara fine gold; perhaps akin to E. withy. ????.]

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.

Note: Wire is made of any desired form, as round, square, triangular, etc., by giving this shape to the hole in the drawplate, or between the rollers.

2. A telegraph wire or cable; hence, an electric telegraph; as, to send a message by wire. [Colloq.]

Wire bed, Wire mattress, 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 or gage. (a) 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. (b) A standard series of sizes arbitrarily indicated, as by numbers, to which the diameter of wire or the thickness of sheet metal in usually made, and which is used in describing the size or thickness. There are many different standards for wire gauges, as in different countries, or for different kinds of metal, the Birmingham wire gauges and the American wire gauge being often used and designated by the abbreviations B. W. G. and A. W. G. respectively.

Wire gauze, a texture of finely interwoven wire, resembling gauze.

Wire grass (Bot.), either of the two common grasses Eleusine Indica, valuable for hay and pasture, and Poa compressa, or blue grass. See Blue grass.

Wire grub (Zo["o]l.), 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.

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WIRE

WIRE: in Acronym Finder

On-line Medical Dictionary - Cite This Source - Share This

wire

wire: in CancerWEB's On-line Medical Dictionary