Definition of "coil"

coil¹

/kɔɪl/

noun
plural coils
1. Something wound in the form of a helix or spiral.
  Quotations
  The wild grapevines that twisted their coils or tendrils from tree to tree.
  1819 June 23 – 1820 September 13, Geoffrey Crayon [pseudonym; Washington Irving], “(please specify the title)”, in The Sketch Book of Geoffrey Crayon, Gent., New York, N.Y.: […] C. S. Van Winkle, […]
2. Any intrauterine device (abbreviation: IUD)—the first IUDs were coil-shaped.
  Quotations
  ‘I’m gonna go on the pill and get fitted for a coil. I don’t wanna be pregnant. Ever. Again!’
  2020, Paul Mendez, Rainbow Milk, Dialogue Books (2021), page 293
3. (electronics) A coil of electrically conductive wire through which electricity can flow.
4. A cylinder of clay.
5. (figurative) Entanglement; perplexity.
  Quotations
  What trifling coil do we mortals keep;Wake, eat, and drink, evacuate, and sleep.
  a. 1722, Matthew Prior, “Human Life”, in H. Bunker Wright, Monroe K. Spears, editors, The Literary Works of Matthew Prior, Second edition, volume I, Oxford: Clarendon Press, published 1971, page 687
verb
third-person singular simple present coils, present participle coiling, simple past and past participle coiled
1. To wind or reel e.g. a wire or rope into regular rings, often around a centerpiece.
2. To wind into loops (roughly) around a common center.
3. To wind cylindrically or spirally.
4. To build a pot (etc) with clay coils.
5. (obsolete, rare) To encircle and hold with, or as if with, coils.
  Quotations
  Pleasure coil thee in her dangerous snare
  a. 1757, Thomas Edwards, sonnet to Mr. Nathanael Mason

coil²

/kɔɪl/

noun
plural coils
1. (now obsolete except in phrases) A noise, tumult, bustle, or turmoil.
  Quotations
  And when he saw that all the dogs were flocking about her, yarring at the retardment of their access to her, and every way keeping such a coil with her as they are wont to do about a proud or salt bitch, he forthwith departed […]
  a. 1738, Thomas Urquhart, Peter Anthony Motteux, and John Ozell (translators), François Rabelais, Gargantua and Pantagruel
  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?
  c. 1588–1593 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Lamentable Tragedy of Titus Andronicus”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies […] (First Folio), London: […] Isaac Iaggard, and Ed[ward] Blount, published 1623, [Act III, (please specify the scene number in lowercase Roman numerals)]
  this great Savage desired also to see him. A great coyle there was to set him forward.
  1624, John Smith, Generall Historie, Kupperman, published 1988, page 162
  [T]hey continued ſo extremely fond of Gold, that if Peter ſent them abroad, though it were only upon a Complement; they would Roar, and Spit, and Belch, and Piſs, and Fart, and Snivle out Fire, and keep a perpetual Coyl, till you flung them a Bit of Gold; [...]
  1704, [Jonathan Swift], “Section IV”, in A Tale of a Tub. […], London: […] John Nutt, […], pages 99–100

Definition of "coil"

coil1

noun

Quotations

Quotations

Quotations

verb

Quotations

coil2

noun

Quotations

coil¹

coil²