coil

1 of 3

noun (1)

1
2
: trouble
also : everyday cares and worries
when we have shuffled off this mortal coil William Shakespeare

coil

2 of 3

verb

coiled; coiling; coils

transitive verb

1
: to wind into rings or spirals
coil a rope
2
: to roll or twist into a shape resembling a coil
coiled herself up on the couch

intransitive verb

1
: to move in a circular or spiral course
2
: to form or lie in a coil
coilability noun

coil

3 of 3

noun (2)

plural coils
1
a(1)
: a series of loops
(2)
: spiral
b
: a single loop of such a coil
2
a
: a number of turns of wire wound around a core (as of iron) to create a magnetic field for an electromagnet or an induction coil
3
: a series of connected pipes in rows, layers, or windings
4
: a roll of postage stamps
also : a stamp from such a roll
5
medical : intrauterine device
That means no condoms, no pills, no coils or sterilization …Christine M. Flowers
The IUD or 'coil' is a small plastic (or plastic and copper) device, not much longer than a match, which is placed inside your womb, where it prevents you from getting pregnant. It's often called a 'coil' because most of the original IUDs were coil-shaped.David Delvin

Examples of coil in a Sentence

Verb She coiled the loose thread around her finger. A long scarf was coiled around her neck. The cat coiled up into a ball. The snake coiled around its prey.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
The hot gas circulates in a set of copper coils outside, with a fan blowing over them, so the gas loses thermal energy to the atmosphere. Rhett Allain, WIRED, 10 Mar. 2024 The steel provider and service center distributes more than 2 million tons of coil, sheet, and plate with smooth and rough surfaces annually. Chase Jordan, Charlotte Observer, 7 Mar. 2024 During lockdown, many Black women discovered they were gifted with our ancestors’ ability to turn coils into braided masterpieces. Annie Blay, Allure, 6 Mar. 2024 Horrified by this revelation, Dornan's character twice attempts death by suicide and the show's cliffhanger ending leaves the character possibly about to leave this mortal coil. Clark Collis, EW.com, 1 Feb. 2024 The manager shows the vine coils (kouloura), making the landscape look hardly like a typical vineyard and more like it’s covered with lush, low-to-the-ground wreaths. Jeanine Barone, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024 The superheated vapor then moves through an indoor coil, where fans blow air across it, moving heat into the home. IEEE Spectrum, 26 Feb. 2024 Makeup artist Pat McGrath took a break from owning social feeds to offer Tyla a preternatural glow that played well with her soft, goddess-like coils. Calin Van Paris, Vogue, 5 Feb. 2024 Most anglers just rinse their fly reels off with freshwater, but that water may not penetrate and flush the coils of thick line on the spool. Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 7 Dec. 2023
Verb
More straightforward was a request to remove a nonvenomous carpet python, its body intricately patterned with whorls and swirls, coiled in the depths of a shed. Natasha Frost David Maurice Smith, New York Times, 14 Mar. 2024 Gold is coiling in a long basing period waiting for the Fed to lower rates. Bob Haber, Forbes, 14 Feb. 2024 Each egg features realistic speckles—like the real deal—and the wreath’s natural twig base coils around the eggs to add even more interest and a touch of texture. Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 4 Mar. 2024 Covered in mud, Hill and another man straddled the Cobra’s rocket pods; the two others coiled themselves around the landing skids. Brian Murphy, Washington Post, 2 Feb. 2024 Its arrangement is pristine and intoxicating: yearning strings, stately brass, a tenor sax that coils itself around the lush oohs and ahhs of the track's backup singers like a satin ribbon. Jason Lamphier, EW.com, 17 Dec. 2023 The snake usually provides warning signs such as coiling up, rattling their tails and hissing. The Arizona Republic, 22 Feb. 2024 In a deft bit of maneuvering, Tiffany had gotten his hands on the 20 miles of surplus cable left coiled in the Niagara’s holds. Robert Klara, Smithsonian Magazine, 15 Feb. 2024 Megan Thee Stallion is coiling herself around her haters like a cobra, sinking her fangs in and devouring them. Sadie Bell, Peoplemag, 26 Jan. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'coil.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

origin unknown

Verb

French coillir, cuillir to gather — more at cull

First Known Use

Noun (1)

1567, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1611, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1

Noun (2)

1661, in the meaning defined at sense 1a(1)

Time Traveler
The first known use of coil was in 1567

Dictionary Entries Near coil

Cite this Entry

“Coil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/coil. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

coil

1 of 2 verb
1
: to wind into or lie in loops, rings, or a spiral
2
: to move in a circular, spiral, or winding direction

coil

2 of 2 noun
1
a
: a series of loops : spiral
b
: a single loop of a coil
2
a
: a number of turns of wire wound around a core (as of iron) to create a magnetic field for an electromagnet or an induction coil
3
: a series of connected pipes (as in water-heating apparatus) in rows, layers, or windings

Medical Definition

More from Merriam-Webster on coil

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