From Longman Dictionary of Contemporary Englishwirewire1 /waɪə $ waɪr/ ●●● S2 W3 noun 1 [countable, uncountable]TI thin metal in the form of a thread, or a piece of this copper wire a wire fence → barbed wire, high wire, tripwire2 [countable]TEE a piece of metal like this, used for carrying electrical currents or signals a telephone wire3 → get your wires crossed4 → go/come/be down to the wire5 [countable] American EnglishTCR a piece of electronic recording equipment, usually worn secretly on someone’s clothes6 [countable] American EnglishTCT a telegramCOLLOCATIONSADJECTIVES/NOUN + wire fine/thinUse a piece of fine wire to clear the obstruction.thickCurtains hung from a thick wire.copper/steel wireElectrical impulses are sent down the copper wire.barbed wire (=wire with a lot of sharp points on it, used for making fences)The prison was surrounded by barbed wire.wire + NOUNa wire fenceWe drew up outside a compound surrounded by a wire fence.a wire rackBake the biscuits for 10 minutes until golden. Cool on a wire rack.phrasesa piece/length/strand of wireThe pieces of wire he’d cut were too short.a coil of wireThe coil of barbed wire will be used for a fence.a loop of wireThere is no latch or knob – just a loop of wire that goes over a nail.
Examples from the Corpus
wire• wire reports• A low-powered electric bulb hung starkly from a wire overhead.• So this year, to be on the safe side, she had ordered a roll of chicken wire and metal stakes.• The cable is made of many twisted strands of wire.• But all these things somehow had their centre inside the wire.• When the wires fell, they ignited the gas leaking from the main.• Pumps go with pipes, furnaces go with air-conditioners, switches go with wires.wirewire2 ●○○ verb [transitive] 1 (also wire up) a) to connect wires inside a building or piece of equipment so that electricity can pass through Check that the plug has been wired up properly. b) to connect electrical equipment to the electrical system using wireswire something to something The CD player had been wired up to the car’s cigarette lighter.2 BFBto send money electronically3 to attach a piece of recording equipment to a person or room, especially secretly4 → be wired for something5 American EnglishTCT to send a telegram to someone6 TIEto fasten two or more things together using wirewire something together The poles had all been wired together. → wiring→ See Verb tableExamples from the Corpus
wire• Sooner or later most workers will be wired, and another moderator of inflation will then have been exhausted also.• Satellite customers who are wired for cable sometimes keep the service to get local channels.• They are very data conscious now and more wired into productivity, quality, the importance of training, and customer service.• Could you wire me $50?• This latter method is often a good way of wiring outside lights.• Tracy had to have her jaw wired shut.• Bud wired the CD player up to the cigarette lighter in his car.• The electrician is coming to wire the house tomorrow.• We strap on the goggles and headphones which are wired up to what looks like a drum machine.• The businessman was then wired with a listening device and given $ 30,000 to offer Mr Tucker.From Longman Business Dictionarywirewire /waɪəwaɪr/ verb [transitive] American English1to send money electronically from one bank to anotherProsecutors said Burks moved $45,000 to his girlfriend and wired $13,300 to a bank account in Florida.2 (also wire something up) to connect something to a computer system or another piece of equipmentHer laptop is wired up to a router, and the other computers in the house run on wireless adaptors.→ See Verb tableOrigin wire1 Old English wir 