cord

\ ˈkȯrd

Definition of cord

(Entry 1 of 2)

1a : a long slender flexible material usually consisting of several strands (as of thread or yarn) woven or twisted together

b : the hangman's rope

2 : a moral, spiritual, or emotional bond

3a : an anatomical structure (such as a nerve or tendon) resembling a cord especially : umbilical cord sense 1a

b : a small flexible insulated electrical cable having a plug at one or both ends used to connect a lamp or other appliance with a receptacle

4 : a unit of wood cut for fuel equal to a stack 4 x 4 x 8 feet or 128 cubic feet

5a : a rib like a cord on a textile

b(1) : a fabric made with such ribs or a garment made of such a fabric

(2) cords plural : trousers made of such a fabric

cord

verb

corded; cording; cords

Definition of cord (Entry 2 of 2)

transitive verb

1 : to furnish, bind, or connect with a cord

2 : to pile up (wood) in cords

Other Words from cord Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about cord

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Examples of cord in a Sentence

Noun She wore the key on a cord around her neck. They used cords to tie the tent to the trees.

Recent Examples on the Web: Noun The Jaguars did wait until Monday morning to cut the cord with Doug Marrone. — Nate Davis, USA TODAY, "Ranking NFL's six open head coaching jobs in 2021 from worst to first," 4 Jan. 2021 The Jaguars did wait until Monday morning to cut the cord with Doug Marrone. — Nate Davis, Detroit Free Press, "Ranking Detroit Lions' head coach job among 6 NFL openings in 2021: Worst to first," 4 Jan. 2021 How are cord cutters supposed to watch Cavaliers and Indians games without access to Fox Sports Ohio and Sports Time Ohio? — cleveland, "Fox Sports Ohio, SportsTime Ohio will be available as standalone streaming services in 2021 following Bally’s rebrand," 2 Dec. 2020 Surely the service wants to use the increasingly popular option for cord-cutters to undercut competitors like YouTube TV, which also costs $64.99. — Ineye Komonibo, refinery29.com, "Hulu Is Increasing Its Prices Come December & People Are Pissed," 17 Nov. 2020 According to the police report, a cord had been wrapped around his neck, his face and his feet. — NBC News, "Insecure wheels: Police turn to car data to destroy suspects' alibis," 28 Dec. 2020 Cut the cord with the wireless Shark Rocket Pro, which was designed specifically for pet hair. — Kennedy Vogel, Better Homes & Gardens, "The Best Black Friday Deals on Home and Kitchen—Including Sales on Instant Pot, iRobot, and OXO," 24 Nov. 2020 Another smart way to cut the cord is to consider an over-the-air DVR, like the Tablo DUAL LITE ($149), which gives you access to live TV broadcasts – including news and sports – which aren't available on most streaming platforms, like Netflix. — Marc Saltzman, USA TODAY, "Watch shows, read books and text your friends for free," 9 Nov. 2020 Most of them are powered in one of three ways: plugging into an electric outlet with a cord, inserting batteries, or connecting to a charging station. — Jeremy Helligar, Popular Science, "Best electric shaver: Get a smooth shave with our picks," 18 Dec. 2020 Recent Examples on the Web: Verb That means a minimal number of poles, preferably shock-corded for fast assembly, and tent clips that snap onto the pole system without a wrestling match. — The Editors, Field & Stream, "Three Things to Look for in a Two-Person Tent," 15 Apr. 2020 All the freedom of a free-roaming gas chainsaw with the environmental sensitivity of a corded electric. — Popular Science, "Great chainsaws for every job, from trims to demolitions," 15 Apr. 2020 This corded jigsaw from Black+Decker features a five-amp variable speed motor and an adjustable shoe that’s great for making perfect bevel cuts at an angle of up to 45 degrees. — Popular Science, "The best jigsaws for your next project," 17 Apr. 2020 Above the impressively broad shoulders is a hump resembling that of a Plains bison, but the hair of a musk ox is more like a mountain goat’s, long and corded, with a woolly underlayer to insulate it from the arctic cold. — Andrew Mckean, Outdoor Life, "A Boat Hunt for Musk Ox and Caribou in Greenland," 21 Feb. 2020 Pros: The fit was good and the product is well made, with an interior flap under the zipper, corded edging, and finished seams. — The Good Housekeeping Institute, Good Housekeeping, "Best Anti-Allergy Bedding," 10 Aug. 2010 Rotary tools are available in both corded electric and cordless versions. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "How To Sharpen Your Chainsaw Like a Pro," 24 July 2019 Fearn’s office, empty, shows on a screen, forest-tall metal bookshelves bungee-corded together in the background. — Sarah Scoles, Scientific American, "The Good Kind of Crazy: The Quest for Exotic Propulsion," 29 July 2019 Jabra's Move headphones work wirelessly or corded with the included 3.5mm headphone cable. — Wired Staff, WIRED, "The 47 Best Amazon Prime Day Tech Deals," 15 July 2019

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'cord.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

History and Etymology for cord

Noun

Middle English cord, corde, borrowed from Anglo-French corde "string, rope," going back to Latin chorda, corda "tripe, string of a musical instrument," borrowed from Greek khordḗ "catgut, string of a musical instrument, sausage," in plural "guts, tripe" — more at yarn entry 1

Verb

Middle English corden "to string a bow," in part derivative of cord, corde cord entry 1, in part borrowed from Anglo-French corder "to tie with a cord"

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