Noun

Singular cable

Plural cables

cable (plural cables)

1. A strong, large-diameter wire or rope, or something resembling such a rope.
2. An assembly of two or more cable-laid ropes
3. An assembly of two or more wires, used for electrical power or data circuits; one or more and/or the whole may be insulated.
4. (nautical) A heavy rope or chain of at least 10 inches thick, as used to moor or anchor a ship
5. (communications) A system for receiving television or Internet service over coaxial or fibreoptic cables

   I tried to watch the movie last night but my cable was out.

6. Short for cable television, broadcast over the above network, not by antenna
7. A telegram, notably when send by (submarine) telegraph cable
8. (nautical) A unit of length
9. (finance) The currency pair Great British Pounds against United States Dollars

Synonyms

• wire rope
• cord
• (telegram) cablegram
• (nautical unit) cable length

Antonyms

• (nautical rope) hawser (thinner)

Derived terms

• cablecar
• cablegram
• cable-laid
• cable television
• cableway
• chain-cable

Related terms

• cablet

A cable is two or more wires or ropes running side by side and bonded, twisted or braided together to form a single assembly. In mechanics, cables are used for lifting and hauling; in electricity they are used to carry electrical currents. An optical cable contains one or more optical fibers in a protective jacket that supports the fibers. Mechanical cable is more specifically called wire rope.

History

Ropes made of multiple strands of natural fibers such as hemp, sisal, manila, and cotton have been used for millennia for hoisting and hauling. By the 19th century, deepening of mines and construction of large ships increased demand for stronger cables. Invention of improved steelmaking techniques made high quality steel available at lower cost, and so wire ropes became common in mining and other industrial applications. By the middle of the 19th century, manfacture of large submarine telegraph cables was done using machiners similar to that used for manufacture of mechanical cables.

In the 19th century and early 20th century, electrical cable was often insulated using cloth, rubber and paper. Plastic materials are generally used today, except for high reliability power cables.