cable
//ˈkeɪ.bəl//
Forms
- Plural
- cables
- present (v1)
- cable
- past (v2)
- cabled
- past participle (v3)
- cabled
- present participle
- cabling
- 3rd person singular
- cables
Definitions
1.A long object used to make a physical connection.
- “And now the time of tide has come; the ship casts off her cables; and from the deserted wharf the uncheered ship for Tarshish, all careening, glides to sea.
2.A unit of length equal to one tenth of a nautical mile.
3.A system for transmitting television or Internet services over a network of coaxial or fibreoptic cables.
- I tried to watch the movie last night but my cable was out.
4.A telegram, notably when sent by (submarine) telegraph cable.
1.To provide (something) with cable(s).
2.To fasten (something) (as if) with cable(s).
3.To wrap (wires) to form a cable.
4.To send (a telegram, news, etc.) by cable.
- Details of a bottle fight in El Morocco were cabled all over the world.
- On 8th November Anthony cabled them, ‘Your great-grandson Randal Lewis Casson arrived to-day. Both well,’ and we sent, ‘Congratulations on becoming great-grandparents.’
Frequency
Overall
Uncommon· #2416
By learning goal
- Everyday conversation
- Rare
- General reading & writing
- Uncommon
- Academic
- Rare
- Literature
- Rare
Related words
Word family
Etymology
Recorded since c.1205 as Middle English cable, from Old Northern French cable, from Late Latin capulum (“lasso, rope, halter”), from Latin capiō (“to take, seize”).