cord

[ kawrd ]

noun

1. a string or thin rope made of several strands braided, twisted, or woven together.
2. Electricity. a small, flexible, insulated cable.
3. a ribbed fabric, especially corduroy.
4. a cordlike rib on the surface of cloth.
5. any influence that binds or restrains:

   cord of marriage.

6. Anatomy. a cordlike structure:

   the spinal cord;

   umbilical cord.

7. a unit of volume used chiefly for fuel wood, now generally equal to 128 cu. ft. (3.6 cu. m), usually specified as 8 feet long, 4 feet wide, and 4 feet high (2.4 m × 1.2 m × 1.2 meters). : cd, cd.
8. a hangman's rope.

verb (used with object)

1. to bind or fasten with a cord or cords.
2. to pile or stack up (wood) in cords.
3. to furnish with a cord.

cord

/ kɔːd /

noun

1. string or thin rope made of several twisted strands
2. a length of woven or twisted strands of silk, etc, sewn on clothing or used as a belt
3. a ribbed fabric, esp corduroy
4. any influence that binds or restrains
5. a flexible insulated electric cable, used esp to connect appliances to mains Also called (in Britain and certain other countries)flex
6. anatomy any part resembling a string or rope

   the spinal cord

7. a unit of volume for measuring cut wood, equal to 128 cubic feet

verb

1. to bind or furnish with a cord or cords
2. to stack (wood) in cords

Derived Forms

• ˈcorder, noun
• ˈcordˌlike, adjective

Other Words From

• corder noun
• cordlike adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of cord¹

1250–1300; Middle English coord ( e ) < Anglo-French, Old French corde < Latin chorda < Greek chordḗ gut; confused in part of its history with chord ¹

Word History and Origins

Origin of cord¹

C13: from Old French corde, from Latin chorda cord, from Greek khordē; see chord ¹

Example Sentences

LD, a neurological problem where the vocal cords spasm, has drawn more attention since US President-elect Donald Trump appointed Robert F Kennedy Jr - who has the condition - to his new team.

From BBC

She was forced to give up her business, and an infection during chemotherapy damaged her vocal cords, reducing her voice to a whisper.

From BBC

The most common problems include chronic headaches, difficulty swallowing and decreased muscle strength, as well as syringomyelia, a condition that occurs when a cyst forms in the spinal cord.

From Science Daily

The genetic condition can cause serious medical complications such as spinal cord compression, sleep apnoea, bowed legs, narrowing of the spinal canal and recurrent ear infections.

From Science Daily

An Orange County firefighter who suffered spinal cord injuries in a September freeway rollover was released from a Colorado rehabilitation facility Friday.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• fiber
• string
• twine