a slender, stringlike piece or filament of relatively rigid or flexible metal, usually circular in section, manufactured in a great variety of diameters and metals depending on its application.

such pieces as a material.

a length of such material, consisting either of a single filament or of several filaments woven or twisted together and usually insulated with a dielectric material, used as a conductor of electricity.

a cross wire or a cross hair.

a barbed-wire fence.

a long wire or cable used in cable, telegraph, or telephone systems.

Nautical . a wire rope.

Informal .

a telegram.

the telegraphic system

to send a message by wire.

wires, a system of wires by which puppets are moved.

a metallic string of a musical instrument.

Underworld Slang . the member of a pickpocket team who picks the victim's pocket. Compare stall 2 ( def. 5 ) .

Horse Racing . a wire stretched across and above the track at the finish line, under which the horses pass.

Ornithology . one of the extremely long, slender, wirelike filaments or shafts of the plumage of various birds.

a metal device for snaring rabbits and other small game.

Papermaking . the woven wire mesh over which the wet pulp is spread in a papermaking machine.

the wire, the telephone

There's someone on the wire for you.

made of wire; consisting of or constructed with wires.

resembling wire; wirelike.

to furnish with wires.

to install an electric system of wiring in, as for lighting.

to fasten or bind with wire

He wired the halves together.

to put on a wire, as beads.

to send by telegraph, as a message

Please wire the money at once.

to send a telegraphic message to

She wired him to come at once.

to snare by means of a wire.

to equip with a hidden electronic device, as an eavesdropping device or an explosive.

to connect (a receiver, area, or building) to a television cable and other equipment so that cable television programs may be received.

Informal . to be closely connected or involved with

a law firm wired into political circles.

Informal . to prepare, equip, fix, or arrange to suit needs or goals

The sales force was wired for an all-out effort.

Croquet . to block (a ball) by placing it behind the wire of an arch.

to send a telegraphic message; telegraph

Don't write; wire.

down to the wire, to the very last moment or the very end

as in a race or competition

The candidates campaigned down to the wire.

pull wires

Informal . to use one's position or influence to obtain a desired result

to pull wires to get someone a job.

under the wire

just within the limit or deadline; scarcely; barely

to get an application in under the wire.

noun

cable , coil , line , message , strand , telegram , telegraph , thread