Collins COBUILD Advanced Learner’s Dictionary

2 N‑COUNT A wire is a cable which carries power or signals from one place to another. □  I ripped out the phone wire that ran through to his office. □  …the voltage of the overhead wires.

3 VERB If you wire something such as a building or piece of equipment, you put wires inside it so that electricity or signals can pass into or through it. □ [V n] …learning to wire and plumb the house herself. □ [be V -ed + for ] Each of the homes has a security system and is wired for cable television. □ [V -ed] …a badly wired appliance. ● PHRASAL VERB Wire up means the same as wire . □ [V P n] He was helping wire up the Channel Tunnel last season. □ [V n P ] Wire the thermometers up to trigger off an alarm bell if the temperature drops. [Also V n P to/into n]

4 N‑COUNT A wire is the same as a telegram . [mainly AM ]

5 VERB If you wire an amount of money to a person or place, you tell a bank to send it to the person or place using a telegram message. [mainly AM ] □ [V n n] I'm wiring you some money. □ [V n prep] They arranged to wire the money from the United States. [Also V n]

6 PHRASE If something goes to the wire , it continues until the last possible moment. [mainly JOURNALISM ] □  Negotiators again worked right down to the wire to reach an agreement.

7 → see also barbed wire , high wire , hot-wire , live wire

wired /wa I ə ^r d/

1 ADJ [usu v-link ADJ ] If someone is wired , they are tense, nervous, and unable to relax. [mainly AM , INFORMAL ] □  Tonight he is manic, wired and uptight.

2 ADJ A computer, organization, or person that is wired has the equipment that is necessary to use the internet. [INFORMAL ] □  Once more people are wired, the potential to change the mainstream media will be huge.

3 ADJ [usu ADJ n] Wired is used to describe material or clothing that has wires sewn into it in order to keep it stiff. □  …a length of wired ribbon.

wire|less /wa I ə ^r ləs/ (wirelesses )

1 ADJ [ADJ n] Wireless technology uses radio waves rather than electricity and therefore does not require any wires. □  …the fast-growing wireless communication market.

2 N‑COUNT A wireless or wireless set is a radio. [BRIT , OLD-FASHIONED ]

Wi re|less Ap|pli|ca|tion Pro to|col → see WAP

wire|tap /wa I ə ^r tæp/ (wiretaps , wiretapping , wiretapped ) also wire-tap VERB If someone wiretaps your phone, they attach a special device to the line so that they can secretly listen to your conversations. [AM ] □ [V n] The coach said his club had wire-tapped the hotel room of a player during a road trip. ● N‑COUNT Wiretap is also a noun. □  …recordings of phone conversations that can have been obtained only by illegal wiretaps. ●  wire|tapping N‑UNCOUNT □  …allegations of wiretapping. [in BRIT, use tap ]

wi re woo l N‑UNCOUNT Wire wool consists of very thin pieces of wire twisted together, often in the form of small pads. These are used to clean wooden and metal objects. [BRIT ] in AM, use steel wool

wir|ing /wa I ə r I ŋ/ N‑UNCOUNT The wiring in a building or machine is the system of wires that supply electricity to the different parts of it.

wiry /wa I ə ri/

1 ADJ Someone who is wiry is rather thin but is also strong. □  His body is wiry and athletic.

2 ADJ Something such as hair or grass that is wiry is stiff and rough to touch. □  Her wiry hair was pushed up on top of her head in an untidy bun.

wis|dom /w I zdəm/ (wisdoms )

1 N‑UNCOUNT Wisdom is the ability to use your experience and knowledge in order to make sensible decisions or judgments. □  …the patience and wisdom that comes from old age. □  …a great man, who spoke words of great wisdom.