Coil

//kwaɪl// name, noun, verb, slang

Definitions

Proper Noun
  1. 1
    A surname.
Noun
  1. 1
    Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral.

    "the sinuous coils of a snake"

  2. 2
    A noise, tumult, bustle, or turmoil.

    "a. 1738, Thomas Urquhart, Peter Anthony Motteux, and John Ozell (translators), François Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel And when he saw that all the dogs were flocking about her, yarring at the retardment of their access to her, and every way keeping such a coil with her as they are wont to do about a proud or salt bitch, he forthwith departed […]"

  3. 3
    A wad of cash. informal, slang
  4. 4
    Abbreviation of chemical oxygen-iodine laser. abbreviation, alt-of
  5. 5
    a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous series of loops wordnet
Show 9 more definitions
  1. 6
    Any intrauterine device (abbreviation: IUD)—the first IUDs were coil-shaped.

    "‘I’m gonna go on the pill and get fitted for a coil. I don’t wanna be pregnant. Ever. Again!’"

  2. 7
    reactor consisting of a spiral of insulated wire that introduces inductance into a circuit wordnet
  3. 8
    A coil of electrically conductive wire through which electricity can flow.
  4. 9
    tubing that is wound in a spiral wordnet
  5. 10
    A cylinder of clay.
  6. 11
    a contraceptive device placed inside a woman's womb wordnet
  7. 12
    Entanglement; perplexity. figuratively

    "What trifling coil do we mortals keep; Wake, eat, and drink, evacuate, and sleep."

  8. 13
    a transformer that supplies high voltage to spark plugs in a gasoline engine wordnet
  9. 14
    a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles (as formed by leaves or flower petals) wordnet
Verb
  1. 1
    To wind or reel e.g. a wire or rope into regular rings, often around a centerpiece.

    "A simple transformer can be made by coiling two pieces of insulated copper wire around an iron heart."

  2. 2
    wind around something in coils or loops wordnet
  3. 3
    To wind into loops (roughly) around a common center.

    "The sailor coiled the free end of the hawser on the pier."

  4. 4
    make without a potter's wheel wordnet
  5. 5
    To wind cylindrically or spirally.

    "to coil a rope when not in use"

Show 3 more definitions
  1. 6
    to wind or move in a spiral course wordnet
  2. 7
    To build a pot (etc) with clay coils.
  3. 8
    To encircle and hold with, or as if with, coils. obsolete, rare

    "a. 1757, Thomas Edwards, sonnet to Mr. Nathanael Mason Pleasure coil thee in her dangerous snare"

Etymology

Etymology 1

From Middle English coilen, from Old French coillir, cuillir (“to gather, pluck, pick, cull”) (modern French cueillir), from Latin colligō (“to gather together”), past participle collectus, from com- (“together”) + legō (“to gather”); compare legend. Doublet of cull.

Etymology 2

From Middle English coilen, from Old French coillir, cuillir (“to gather, pluck, pick, cull”) (modern French cueillir), from Latin colligō (“to gather together”), past participle collectus, from com- (“together”) + legō (“to gather”); compare legend. Doublet of cull.

Etymology 3

Unknown.

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