Coil
Pronunciation
- UK IPA: /kɔɪl/
- Rhymes: -ɔɪl
Origin 1
From Middle French coillir ("to gather, pluck, pick, cull") (French: cueillir), from Latin colligo ("to gather together"), past participle collectus, from com- ("together") + lego ("to gather"); compare legend.
Full definition of coil
Noun
coil
(plural coils)- Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral.the sinuous coils of a snake
- Washington IrvingThe wild grapevines that twisted their coils from tree to tree.
- Any intra-uterine contraceptive device (Abbreviation: IUD)—the first IUDs were coil-shaped.
- (electrical) A coil of electrically conductive wire through which electricity can flow.
- (figurative) Entanglement; perplexity.
Synonyms
- (coil of conductive wire) inductor
Derived terms
Verb
- 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.
- To wind into loops (roughly) around a common center.The sailor coiled the free end of the hawser on the pier.
- To wind cylindrically or spirally.to coil a rope when not in useThe snake coiled itself before springing.
- (obsolete, rare) To encircle and hold with, or as if with, coils.
Origin 2
Origin unknown.
Noun
coil
(plural coils)- (now obsolete except in phrases) A noise, tumult, bustle, or turmoil.
- 1594, William Shakespeare, Titus Andronicus, Act III:If the windes rage, doth not the Sea wax mad,
Threatning the welkin with his big-swolne face?
And wilt thou haue a reason for this coile? - 1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, in Kupperman 1988, p. 162:this great Savage desired also to see him. A great coyle there was to set him forward.
- 1704, Jonathan Swift, A Tale of a Tub:they continued so extremely fond of gold, that if Peter sent them abroad, though it were only upon a compliment, they would roar, and spit, and belch, and piss, and f—t, and snivel out fire, and keep a perpetual coil, till you flung them a bit of gold ....