countable/uncountable a long thin piece of metal like a thread
The sticks were tied in bundles with wire.
a piece/bit/length of wire
copper/steel/gold wire
a coil/roll of wire
Synonyms and related words
Metalworking and forms of metal
anvil
bar
beat
1a
only before nounmade from wire
a wire coat-hanger
a wire fence/cage
wire netting/mesh/fencing
Synonyms and related words
Made of a particular metal
brazen
bronze
cast-iron
2
countable/uncountable a long thin piece of metal that carries electricity or telephone signals
telephonewires
Synonyms and related words
Telephones and telecommunication equipment
3G
4G
5G
Synonyms and related words
Parts of pieces of electrical equipment
anode
cathode
circuit
3
countable mainly Americaninformala piece of electronic equipment that someone wears under their clothes to allow other people to hear their conversations secretly
Synonyms and related words
Spies and spying
agent
breach of security
bug
4
countable Americaninformala telegram
Synonyms and related words
Fax, telex, telegrams and bleepers
bleep
cable
cover page
phrases
get your wires crossed
to go (right) down to the wire
under the wire
wire
noun
US /waɪr/
Other entries for this word
wireverb
hot-wireverb
high wirenoun
live wirenoun
wire intophrasal verb
wire woolnoun
barbed wirenoun
wire fraudnoun
wire-hairedadjective
chicken wirenoun
fly-by-wirenoun
wire cuttersnoun
wire servicenoun
high-wire actphrase
telephone wirenoun
under the wirephrase
to go (right) down to the wirephrase
hard-wireverb at hardwire
Word Forms
singular
wire
plural
wires
DEFINITIONS4
1
countable/uncountable a long thin piece of metal like a thread
copper/steel/gold wire
The sticks were tied in bundles with wire.
a piece/length of wire
a coil/roll of wire
Synonyms and related words
Metalworking and forms of metal
anvil
bar
beat
1a
only before nounmade from wire
glasses with wire frames
a wire fence/cage
wire netting/mesh/fencing
Synonyms and related words
Made of a particular metal
brazen
bronze
cast-iron
2
countable/uncountable a long thin piece of metal that carries electricity or telephone signals
telephonewires
Synonyms and related words
Telephones and telecommunication equipment
3G
4G
5G
Synonyms and related words
Parts of pieces of electrical equipment
anode
cathode
circuit
3
countable informala piece of electronic equipment that someone wears under their clothes to allow other people to hear their conversations secretly
Synonyms and related words
Spies and spying
agent
breach of security
bug
4
countable Americaninformala telegram
Synonyms and related words
Fax, telex, telegrams and beepers
cable
cable
cover page
phrases
get your wires crossed
to go (right) down to the wire
under the wire
wire
verb transitive
UK /ˈwaɪə(r)/
Other entries for this word
wirenoun
hot-wireverb
high wirenoun
live wirenoun
wire intophrasal verb
wire woolnoun
barbed wirenoun
wire-hairedadjective
chicken wirenoun
fly-by-wirenoun
wire cuttersnoun
wire servicenoun
high-wire actphrase
telephone wirenoun
under the wirephrase
to go (right) down to the wirephrase
hard-wireverb at hardwire
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
wire
he/she/it
wires
present participle
wiring
past tense
wired
past participle
wired
DEFINITIONS4
1
wire
or
wire up
to connect a piece of electrical equipment to something, or to connect the wires inside a piece of equipment
The kids are taught how to wire a plug.
The patients are wired up to variousmachines for tests.
Synonyms and related words
To connect or disconnect a machine or piece of equipment
alarm
attach
automate
2
to join things together using wire
Doctors will wire the sections of brokenbone together.
Synonyms and related words
To fasten or join one thing to another
fasten
fix
attach
3
to send money directly from one bank to another using an electronic system
Synonyms and related words
To use a bank account
bank
bank in
borrow
3a
to send a telegram to someone
Synonyms and related words
Fax, telex, telegrams and bleepers
bleep
cable
cover page
4
to hide a piece of equipment somewhere that allows conversations to be heard secretly
Synonyms and related words
Spies and spying
agent
breach of security
bug
wire
verb transitive
US /waɪr/
Other entries for this word
wirenoun
hot-wireverb
high wirenoun
live wirenoun
wire intophrasal verb
wire woolnoun
barbed wirenoun
wire fraudnoun
wire-hairedadjective
chicken wirenoun
fly-by-wirenoun
wire cuttersnoun
wire servicenoun
high-wire actphrase
telephone wirenoun
under the wirephrase
to go (right) down to the wirephrase
hard-wireverb at hardwire
Word Forms
present tense
I/you/we/they
wire
he/she/it
wires
present participle
wiring
past tense
wired
past participle
wired
DEFINITIONS4
1
to connect a piece of electrical equipment to something, or to connect the wires inside a piece of equipment
The kids are taught how to wire a plug.
The patients are wired up to variousmachines for tests.
Synonyms and related words
To connect or disconnect a machine or piece of equipment
alarm
attach
automate
2
to join things together using wire
Doctors will wire the sections of brokenbone together.
Synonyms and related words
To fasten or join one thing to another
fasten
fix
attach
3
to send money directly from one bank to another using an electronic system
Synonyms and related words
To use a bank account
bank
bank in
borrow
3a
to send a telegram to someone
Synonyms and related words
Fax, telex, telegrams and beepers
cable
cable
cover page
4
to hide a piece of equipment somewhere that allows conversations to be heard secretly