Coil Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary (2024)

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Coil Definition & Meaning | Britannica Dictionary? ›

Britannica Dictionary definition of COIL. [count] 1. : a long thin piece of material (such as a wire, string, or piece of hair) that is wound into circles. a coil of wire.

1. : to wind into rings or spirals. coil a rope. 2. : to roll or twist into a shape resembling a coil.

/kɔɪl/ A coil is a spiral shape or a series of circles, each one inside another. You might see a coil of rope on a dock or coils of hair in a fancy hairdo. A snake naturally curls its body into a coil, and the end of a whip after it's been cracked tends to form a coil.

Synonyms: loop, twist, curl, spiral More Synonyms of coil.

coil, in an electric circuit, one or more turns, usually roughly circular or cylindrical, of current-carrying wire designed to produce a magnetic field or to provide electrical resistance or inductance; in the latter case, a coil is also called a choke coil (see also inductance).

It works for 5 to 10 years. An IUD prevents pregnancy by releasing copper into the womb which: makes it difficult for sperm to get to an egg. thins the womb lining, so there's less chance an egg will attach to it.

Energy coils are electrical transformers used to step up or step down voltage. They are also used to change the current flow direction and isolate electrical circuits. Energy coils come in various shapes and sizes and can be used in a wide range of applications.

Derived from 16th-century English, "coil" refers to tumults or troubles. Used idiomatically, the phrase means "the bustle and turmoil of this mortal life".

bight circle convolution corkscrew curlicue gyration helix involution lap loop ring roll scroll spiral turn twine twirl twist whorl wind.

a length of wire, wound into circles, that can carry electricity. = IUD See coil in the Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary.

What is a coil in medical terms? ›

coiling: a procedure, performed during an angiogram, in which platinum coils are inserted into an aneurysm. embolization: the insertion of material, coils, or glue into an aneurysm so that blood can no longer flow through it.

An air conditioner's evaporator coil, also called the evaporator core, is the part of the system where the refrigerant absorbs heat. It's where the cold air comes from. The evaporator coil is inside or near the air handler where the blower fan is.

She coiled her hair into a neat bun on top of her head. The snake coiled itself tightly around the deer.

coil noun [C] (CIRCLE)

a length of rope, hair, or wire, arranged into a series of circles, one above or outside the other: A coil of rope lay on the beach. A coil of thick blue smoke rose up from his pipe.

A coiled coil is a structural motif in proteins in which 2–7 alpha-helices are coiled together like the strands of a rope. (Dimers and trimers are the most common types.) They have been found in roughly 5-10% of proteins and have a variety of functions.

Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL) can help prepare students.