Hypertext Webster Gateway: "Coil"
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Coil \Coil\, v. i.
To wind itself cylindrically or spirally; to form a coil; to
wind; -- often with about or around.
You can see his flery serpents . . . Coiting, playing
in the water. --Longfellow.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Coil \Coil\, n.
1. A ring, series of rings, or spiral, into which a rope, or
other like thing, is wound.
The wild grapevines that twisted their coils from
trec to tree. --W. Irving.
2. Fig.: Entanglement; toil; mesh; perplexity.
3. A series of connected pipes in rows or layers, as in a
steam heating apparatus.
{Induction coil}. (Elec.) See under {Induction}.
{Ruhmkorff's coil} (Elec.), an induction coil, sometimes so
called from Ruhmkorff, a prominent manufacturer of the
apparatus.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Coil \Coil\, n. [Of Celtic origin; cf. Gael. goil fume, rage.]
A noise, tumult, bustle, or confusion. [Obs.] --Shak.
From Webster's Revised Unabridged Dictionary (1913) (web1913)
Coil \Coil\ (koil), v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Coiled} (koild); p. pr.
& vb. n. {Coiling}.] [OF. coillir, F. cueillir, to collect,
gather together, L. coligere; col- + legere to gather. See
{Legend}, and cf. {Cull}, v. t., {Collect}.]
1. To wind cylindrically or spirally; as, to coil a rope when
not in use; the snake coiled itself before springing.
2. To encircle and hold with, or as with, coils. [Obs. or R.]
--T. Edwards.
From WordNet (r) 1.7 (wn)
coil
n 1: a structure consisting of something wound in a continuous
series of loops; "a coil of rope" [syn: {spiral}, {volute},
{whorl}, {helix}]
2: a round shape formed by a series of concentric circles [syn:
{whorl}, {roll}, {curl}, {curlicue}, {ringlet}, {gyre}, {scroll}]
3: a transformer that supplies high voltage to spark plugs in a
gasoline engine
4: a contraceptive device placed inside a woman's womb
5: tubing that is wound in a spiral
6: reactor consisting of a spiral of insulated wire that
introduces inductance into a circuit
v 1: to wind or move in a spiral course:" the muscles and nerves
of his fine drawn body were coiling for action,", "black
smoke coiling up into the sky"; "the young people
gyrated on the dance floor" [syn: {gyrate}, {spiral}]
2: make without a wheel; of pottery [syn: {handbuild}]
3: wind around something in coils or loops [syn: {loop}, {curl}]
[ant: {uncoil}]
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