wire

S2 W2

BrE /waɪə/ AmE /waɪr/

noun / verb en → es

past wired pp wired ing wiring

1 METAL STRAND [countable] A2

a thin piece of metal used to carry electricity or send messages

alambre, cable

  • a wire for something

Collocations electrical wire · telephone wire

  • The electrical wires were exposed.

    Los cables eléctricos estaban al descubierto.

2 SPY [transitive] B2

to secretly watch or listen to someone using hidden cameras or microphones

vigilar de forma secreta, escuchar en secreto

  • wire somebody
  • The police wired the suspect's house.

    La policía vigiló la casa del sospechoso de forma secreta.

3 CONNECT [transitive] B1

to connect something with wires or to put wires in a building, etc.

conectar con cables, instalar cables

  • wire something
  • The house needs to be wired for electricity.

    La casa necesita que se le instalen cables eléctricos.

4 SEND MONEY [transitive] B1

to send money to someone in another country through a bank or company like Western Union

enviar dinero por transferencia bancaria, enviar dinero con Western Union

  • wire money to somebody
  • I wired some money to my sister in Spain.

    Le envié dinero a mi hermana en España por transferencia bancaria.

5 METAL STRAND [countable] A2

a thin piece of metal used to make jewelry or decorations

alambre, cable

  • wire for something
  • She uses wire to make her jewelry.

    Ella usa alambre para hacer sus joyas.

6 METAL STRAND [countable] B1

a thin piece of metal used in construction or engineering

alambre, cable

  • wire for something
  • The fence is held together with wire.

    La cerca está unida con alambre.

7 METAL STRAND [countable] B1

a thin piece of metal used in electronics or machinery

alambre, cable

  • wire for something
  • The machine is made of metal and wire.

    La máquina está hecha de metal y alambre.

8 METAL STRAND [countable] B1

a thin piece of metal used in art or sculpture

alambre, cable

  • wire for something
  • The artist uses wire to create sculptures.

    El artista usa alambre para crear esculturas.

Phrasal verbs

wire up CONNECT B1

conectar con cables, instalar cables

  • The house needs to be wired up for electricity.

    La casa necesita que se le instalen cables eléctricos.

wire in CONNECT B1

conectar con cables, instalar cables

  • The new equipment needs to be wired in.

    El nuevo equipo necesita que se le conecte con cables.

wire out REMOVE WIRE B1

quitar los cables, desconectar

  • They had to wire out the old system.

    Tuvieron que quitar los cables del sistema antiguo.

wire away REMOVE WIRE B1

quitar los cables, desconectar

  • They wired the old system away.

    Quitaron los cables del sistema antiguo.

wire down SECURE WITH WIRE B1

afianzar con alambre, asegurar con cable

  • The fence was wired down to prevent it from moving.

    La cerca estaba afianzada con alambre para evitar que se moviera.

Idioms

wire something together B1

unir algo con alambre, conectar algo con cables

  • They wired the parts of the machine together.

    Unieron las partes de la máquina con alambre.

wire something up B1

conectar algo con cables, instalar cables en algo

  • They wired the new system up.

    Conectaron el nuevo sistema con cables.

wire something in B1

conectar algo con cables, instalar cables en algo

  • They wired the new equipment in.

    Instalaron los nuevos equipos con cables.