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the wire

noun

Definition of the wire

US
: a thin piece of string that the winner of a race breaks through at the end of the race
  • The marathon ended in a sprint to the wire by the two top runners.
—often used figuratively
  • The election went/came (right) down to the wire.

Word by Word Definitions

wire play

  1. : metal in the form of a usually very flexible thread or slender rod

  2. : a thread or rod of such material

  3. : wirework

  1. : to provide with wire : use wire on for a specific purpose

  2. : to send or send word to by telegraph

  3. : to connect by or as if by a wire

See the full definition of wire

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