coil Definition

coil¹
verb

tr & intr
coiled, coiling
1. To wind round and round in loops to form rings or a spiral.

Thesaurus: twist, wind, spiral, loop, snake, curl, convolute, twine, wreathe, writhe.
Form: coil up (sometimes)

noun

1. Something looped into rings or a spiral.

Example: a coil of rope
Thesaurus: spiral, loop, twist, curl, convolution, helix, whorl.
2. A single loop in such an arrangement.
3. elec.
A conducting wire wound into a spiral, used to provide a magnetic field, to react mechanically by moving in response to a change in the existing magnetic field, or to introduce inductance into an electrical circuit.
4. non-technical
An intrauterine device.

Etymology: 17c: from French cueillir to gather together.

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coil²
noun

1. old use
Trouble and tumult.

Idiom: this mortal coil

The troubles of life and the world.

Etymology: 16c.