coil
verb /kɔɪl/
/kɔɪl/
[intransitive, transitive]Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they coil | /kɔɪl/ /kɔɪl/ |
| he / she / it coils | /kɔɪlz/ /kɔɪlz/ |
| past simple coiled | /kɔɪld/ /kɔɪld/ |
| past participle coiled | /kɔɪld/ /kɔɪld/ |
| -ing form coiling | /ˈkɔɪlɪŋ/ /ˈkɔɪlɪŋ/ |
- to wind into a series of circles; to make something do this
- coil up The snake coiled up, ready to strike.
- coil round, around, etc. something Mist coiled around the tops of the hills.
- coil something (+ adv./prep.) to coil a rope into a loop
- Her hair was coiled on top of her head.
- Mechanical watches are powered by a coiled spring.
Extra Examples- He coiled the rope up tightly and put it away.
- Her hair was neatly coiled into a bun.
- The snake coiled itself around a branch.
- He coiled the rope into a loop.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- tightly
- loosely
- up
- …
- around
- round
- into
- …
Word Originearly 16th cent. (as a verb): from Old French coillir, from Latin colligere ‘gather together’, from col- ‘together’ + legere ‘choose or collect’.
