\ ˈspül
\
\
Definition of spool
(Entry 1 of 2)
1
: a cylindrical device which has a rim or ridge at each end and an axial hole for a pin or spindle and on which material (such as thread, wire, or tape) is wound
2
: material or the amount of material wound on a spool
spool
verb
spooled; spooling; spools
Definition of spool (Entry 2 of 2)
1
: to wind on a spool
2
: wind entry 3
spool the thread off the bobbin
3
: to regulate the transmission of by means of a spooler
spool data
1
: to wind itself on a spool
2
: to be wound or unwound
3
: to regulate data flow by means of a spooler
Examples of spool in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Noun
Courtesy of Michaels Deputy editor Rachel Weber stocks up on spools of fabric ribbon by the spool on every Michaels run.
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Emily Vanschmus, Better Homes & Gardens, "7 Items Our Editors Buy Every Time We Go to Michaels," 26 Mar. 2021
With ropeless or pop-up gear, crabbers attach a spool of rope to each trap, then leave them at the bottom to allow crabs to wander inside.
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Tara Duggan, San Francisco Chronicle, "War breaking out between crab fishers and environmentalists over ropeless traps meant to save whales," 24 Mar. 2021
Under the hood, Big Oly is equipped with a Ford Windsor V-8 capable of making 390 horses, along with extreme shock absorbers, a big wing on top, a split windshield to reduce dust in the cockpit and a spool rear end for better traction on the dunes.
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Rachel Cormack, Robb Report, "This Legendary ’69 Ford Bronco Won the Baja 1000 Twice. Now It’s up for Auction.," 22 Mar. 2021
Turbos spool, intakes whoosh, and the exhaust roars.
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John Pearley Huffman, Car and Driver, "2021 Bugatti Chiron Pur Sport Goes to Extremes," 5 Mar. 2021
The powerplant uses a 1.7-liter four-lobe Eaton supercharger with small-diameter rotors for both high capacity and quick spool-up.
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Jack R. Nerad, Forbes, "Hot & Ready: 4 Born-To-Thrill Luxury Cars On The Way Now," 27 Feb. 2021
The low gear ratio (number of times the spool rotates with a single turn of the handle) of two-speed reels allow for greater cranking leverage.
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The Editors, Field & Stream, "Three Things To Know Before You Buy A Conventional Fishing Reel," 3 Sep. 2019
Shaheer bears a heavy load, trying to contain the spool of fear, pain and upheaval that unfolds with each bullet.
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Maya Rao Star Tribune Staff, Star Tribune, "Next Step goes to the front lines of gun violence in Minneapolis, starting with the shooting victims," 30 Jan. 2021
Another year, another spool: While 2020 was a year marked by the pandemic and tragedies across the United States, none were more significant than the death of former Houstonian George Floyd, a Black man killed by Minneapolis police.
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Jay R. Jordan, Chron, "Here's what we didn't expect on Houston freeways in 2020," 31 Dec. 2020
Recent Examples on the Web: Verb
It’s one of the first games to incorporate comic-book-like interludes in between its chapters — rudimentary cutscenes, essentially — which would be co-opted by every designer searching for the ideal way to spool out a narrative in a video game.
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Luke Winkie, Vulture, "The 20 Best Games on Nintendo Switch Online," 30 Mar. 2021
In addition, the Chinese government in late August unveiled new regulations that restrict exports of technology, likely including the artificial intelligence system TikTok uses to choose which videos to spool up to its users.
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Matt O'brien And Tali Arbel, The Christian Science Monitor, "Long road ahead as TikTok selects Oracle to be US partner," 15 Sep. 2020
In addition, the Chinese government in late August unveiled new regulations that restrict exports of technology, likely including the artificial intelligence system TikTok uses to choose which videos to spool up to its users.
—
Matt O'brien And Tali Arbel, The Christian Science Monitor, "Long road ahead as TikTok selects Oracle to be US partner," 15 Sep. 2020
In addition, the Chinese government in late August unveiled new regulations that restrict exports of technology, likely including the artificial intelligence system TikTok uses to choose which videos to spool up to its users.
—
Matt O'brien And Tali Arbel, The Christian Science Monitor, "Long road ahead as TikTok selects Oracle to be US partner," 15 Sep. 2020
In addition, the Chinese government in late August unveiled new regulations that restrict exports of technology, likely including the artificial intelligence system TikTok uses to choose which videos to spool up to its users.
—
Matt O'brien And Tali Arbel, The Christian Science Monitor, "Long road ahead as TikTok selects Oracle to be US partner," 15 Sep. 2020
In addition, the Chinese government in late August unveiled new regulations that restrict exports of technology, likely including the artificial intelligence system TikTok uses to choose which videos to spool up to its users.
—
Matt O'brien And Tali Arbel, The Christian Science Monitor, "Long road ahead as TikTok selects Oracle to be US partner," 15 Sep. 2020
In addition, the Chinese government in late August unveiled new regulations that restrict exports of technology, likely including the artificial intelligence system TikTok uses to choose which videos to spool up to its users.
—
Matt O'brien And Tali Arbel, The Christian Science Monitor, "Long road ahead as TikTok selects Oracle to be US partner," 15 Sep. 2020
In addition, the Chinese government in late August unveiled new regulations that restrict exports of technology, likely including the artificial intelligence system TikTok uses to choose which videos to spool up to its users.
—
Matt O'brien And Tali Arbel, The Christian Science Monitor, "Long road ahead as TikTok selects Oracle to be US partner," 15 Sep. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'spool.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Last Updated
2 Apr 2021
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Cite this Entry
“Spool.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/spool. Accessed 16 Apr. 2021.
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More Definitions for spool
spool
noun
English Language Learners Definition of spool
: a round object that is made to have something (such as thread, wire, or tape) wrapped around it
See the full definition for spool in the English Language Learners Dictionary
spool
noun
\ ˈspül
\
\
Kids Definition of spool
: a small cylinder which has a rim or ridge at each end and a hole from end to end for a pin or spindle and on which material (as thread, wire, or tape) is wound
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Time Traveler for spool
The first known use of spool was in the 14th century
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